Efficacy of different types of aerobic exercise in fibromyalgia syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Table 4 Subgroup analysis for the effect size on pain at post treatment

Outcome title	Number of study arms	Number of patients on AE	Effect size^a	Test for overall effect, Pvalue	Heterogeneity, I²; τ² (%)
Type of exercise
Land-based	22	463	-0.29 (-0.46,-0.13)	0.0005	27; 0.03
Water-based	3	61	-0.67 (-1.04,-0.29)	0.0005	0; 0
Mixed	4	43	-0.03 (-0.45,0.39)	0.89	0; 0
Type of exercise
AE only	12	273	-0.35 (-0.61,-0.09)	0.0008	48; 0.09
AE combined with other exercise	17	294	-0.28 (-0.45,-0.15)	0.001	0; 0
Duration of study
<7 weeks	2	32	-1.16 (-1.86,-0.48)	0.001	36; 0.09
7 to 12 weeks	13	194	-0.24 (-0.50,-0.02)	0.03	16; 0.02
>12 weeks	12	338	-0.24 (-0.40,-0.08)	0.004	0; 0
Frequency of training/week
1 time/week	2	37	-0.07 (-0.54,03.9)	0.48	Not applicable
2 times/week	5	127	-0.69 (-0.95,-0.27)	0.0004	35; 0.06
3 times/week	16	241	-0.35 (-0.62,-0.09)	0.009	48; 0.10
>3 times/week	4	142	-0.13 (-0.38, 0.13)	0.33	2; 0
Total duration aerobic exercise^b
<1,000 minutes	10	175	-0.47 (-0.86,-0.08)	0.02	62; 0.19
1,000 to 2,000 minutes	9	175	-0.36 (-0.59,-0.13)	0.002	0; 0
>2,000 minutes	8	217	-0.15 (-0.34, 0.05)	0.15	0; 0
Intensity of AE^c
<50% maxHR	1	37	-0.09 (-0.54, 0.36)	Not applicable	Not applicable
Left up to patient	2	79	-0.42 (-0.77, -0.07)	0.02	0; 0
> 50% maxHR	21	367	-0.26 (-0.42,-0.11)	0.0007	0; 0
Type of control group
Attention placebo	7	229	-0.27 (-0.62, 0.07)	0.12	67; 0.12
Therapy as usual	10	147	-0.47 (-0.71,-0.24)	<0.0001	0; 0
Active therapy	10	191	-0.27 (-0.49,-0.06)	0.01	0; 0

AE, aerobic exercise; maxHR, maximum of age-adjusted maximum heart rate. ^aStandardised mean difference (95% confidence interval). ^bIf no precise duration of AE was given, 50% of the total exercise time was assumed for aerobic exercise. ^cStudies that did not report the intensity of training were excluded from analysis.

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