Effect of major ozone autohemotherapy in fibromyalgia syndrome: a retrospective study

Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a multifaceted chronic disease characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, cognitive dysfunction, and increased sensitivity to stimuli, commonly referred to as central sensitization. Ozone therapy is currently used in the treatment of many chronic diseases by creating controlled oxidative stress. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of major autohemotherapy (MAH) on pain, quality of life, functional status, and sleep quality in patients with FMS.

A total of 72 patients who underwent 10 sessions of MAH between April 1, 2023 and September 1, 2023 were included in this retrospective study. A total of 10 sessions of major ozone therapy were applied to the patients, two sessions per week. In the first session, a total of 1,000 mcg of MAH (100 ml at 10 mcg/ml) was administered. In the following sessions, the concentration was gradually increased by 5 mg/ml at each session reaching up to 30 mcg/ml with a maximum cumulative dose of 3,000 mcg. Pre-and post-treatment pain status of the patients was evaluated with the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), functional status with the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), quality of life with the Short Form-36 (SF-36), and sleep status with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

The mean age of 68 female and 4 male patients included in the study was determined as 54.17 ± 11.17. VAS was determined as 7.76 ± 2.01 before treatment and 4.77 ± 2.20 after treatment. FIQ score was determined as 69.08 ± 16.01 before treatment and 56.18 ± 22.46 after treatment, Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index score was determine as 10.27 ± 3.37 before treatment and 9.61 ± 2.81 after treatment. Statistically significant differences were found in VAS, FIQ, SF-36, and PSQI values before and after treatment (p < 0.001).

According to the study results, MAH has been found to provide significantly positive effects in reducing pain intensity, improving functional status, enhancing quality of life, and improving sleep patterns in individuals diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome. Considering the low side effect profile and positive clinical results of MAH in fibromyalgia patients resistant to other treatment methods, it is recommended that this method be considered as a complementary or alternative treatment option.