Table 4 Characteristics of included trials related to CRP

Ardiç et al. (2007) [37]

N = 31

RCT

ACR 1990

Balneotherapy

Usual care

N/A

CRP, IL-1α, PGE2, LTB4, RF, ESR

No declaration of the changes to serum CRP levels between pre- and post-intervention

Mean age:

(n = 12)

(n = 9)

2 time points

43.5 ± 10.2 years (balneotherapy)

3 weeks

3 weeks

(before and at the end of therapy)

48.8 ± 8.8 years (usual care)

5 days per week

Healthy

serum

43.4 ± 8.2 years (healthy)

20 minutes each

(n = 10)

Gender:

female only

Ortega et al. (2009) [28]

N = 27

Non-RCT (pilot)

ACR

Patients

Healthy

N/A

CRP, IL-1β, IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-8,

The concentrations of serum CRP in FM patients were significantly higher than in the healthy control group between pre- and post-exercise (p <0.05)

Age range:

(unspecified year)

(n = 14)

(n = 13)

IL-6, IL-4, IL-10, NA, cortisol

30–60 years (patients)

Pool-aquatic exercise

2 time points

After 4 months of exercise, the level of serum CRP in FM patients decreased compared to the baseline level (p <0.05)

28–55 years (healthy)

4 months

(before and 2 days after finishing the exercise)

Gender:

3 days per week

female only

60 minutes each

serum

Ortega et al. (2012) [29]

N = 18

Non-RCT

ACR 1990

Patients

Healthy

N/A

CRP, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10

The concentrations of serum CRP in FM patients were significantly higher than in the healthy control group across the study interval (p <0.01)

Age range:

(n = 9)

(n = 9)

3 time points

30–60 years (patients)

Pool-aquatic exercise

(before, midway through: 4 months and at the end of program: 8 months)

After 8 months of exercise, the level of serum CRP in FM patients decreased compared to the baseline level (p <0.05)

28–55 years (healthy)

8 months

Gender:

twice a week

(samples were collected 2 days after finishing the last session of the exercise) serum

female only

60 minutes each

Senna et al. (2012) [30]

N = 83

RCT

ACR 1990

Dietary weight loss

Usual care

N/A

CRP, IL-6

The levels of serum CRP in the intervention group were significantly lower than the usual care group after 6 months of intervention (p <0.01), although there were no significant differences between the two groups at baseline

Mean age:

(N = 41)

(n = 42)

2 time points

44.8 ± 13.6 years (intervention)

6 months

6 months

(baseline and after 6 months of intervention)

(BMI 32.3 ± 1.4)

1200 kcal/day

serum

46.3 ± 14.4 years (usual care)

(with 15–20 % of energy intake in the form of protein, 50–55 % in the form of carbo-hydrates, and approximately 30 % in the form of fat divided in three meals)

(BMI 32.8 ± 1.4)

Gender:

male 9.8 %, female 90.2 % (intervention) male 9.5 %, female 90.5 % (usual care)

Menzies et al. (2014) [31]

N = 64

RCT

ACR 1990

Guided imagery

Usual care

N/A

CRP, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-2, GM-

There were no statistically significant differences between the intervention and control groups in the levels of plasma CRP at baseline, 6 weeks or 10 weeks

Mean age:

(n = 30)

(n = 34)

CSF, IL-12, IL-17, IL-8, MCP-1, MIP-1β,

44.5 ± 13.1 years (guided imagery)

10 weeks

10 weeks

IL-6, IL-7, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13, G-CSF

The levels of plasma CRP for all of the participants were elevated but demonstrated little variation from baseline to 6 weeks or to 10 weeks (4.27, 4.57, 4.55 mg/L, respectively)

49.1 ± 12.4 years (Usual care)

use CD tracks at least once a day

3 time points

Gender:

For the first 6 weeks, listen to the three

(baseline, week 6, week 10) plasma

female only

CD tracks (each one CD in 2 weeks).

For the last 4 weeks, listen to the tracks in any order