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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2021 Sep 1.
Published in final edited form as: Pain. 2020 Sep 1;161(9):1955–1975. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001893

Table 2.

General information from the rTMS studies included in the meta-analysis

Articles Country Design Condition Pain Duration Sensory Profile Participants Motor Cortex Stimulation Parameters QST Protocol
Target, coil type frequency Intensity % motor threshold Total number of pulses Device Number of sessions Concomitant Therapy or motor tasks Pain threshold TS CPM Device
Johnson et al. (2006) Australia Crossover Chronic back pain Not reported Not reported 17 participats (59 % females ). Mean age: 43.5 yrs. A) a-rTMS. B)s-rTMS left M1/S1, figure 8 coil 20 95 500 MagStim Super Rapid stimulator 1 No HPT and CPT were meassured over the thenar eminence of the right hand Thermal Sensory Analyzer (TSA-2001) device (Medoc Ltd)
Dall Agnol et al. (2014) Brazil Parallel Myofascial pain syndrome Not reported Not reported 24 female participants. A. 12 participants in a-rTMS. Mean age: 45.83 yrs. B. 12 participants in s-tDCS. Mean age: 44.83 yrs. C3, figure 8 coil 10 80% RMT 1600 MagPro X100 (MagVentureCompany, Lucernemarken, Denmark) 1 No HPT was measured with a Peltier-based thermode over the mid-forearm from 32 C up to a maximun 52 C Difference of pain score of the heat stimuli over the forear before and after the immersion of the opposite hand in cold water (0–1 C) Computer Peltier-based device thermode (30 × 30 mm(Heat Pain Stimulator-1.1.10, Brazil)
Graff-Guerrero et al. (2005) Mexico Parallel Healthy - - 180 participants (45% female). Mean age: 19 yrs. Experiment 1: A)15 participants in a-rTMS L-DLPFC. B) 15 participants in a-rTMS R-DLPFC. C) 15 participants in a-rTMS R-MC. D) 15 participants in a-rTMS L-MC. E) 15 participants in s-rTMS. Experiment 2: A)15 participants in a-rTMS L-DLPFC. B) 15 participants in a-rTMS R-DLPFC. C) 15 participants in a-rTMS R-MC. D) 15 participants in a-rTMS L-MC. E) 15 participants in s-rTMS C3, figure 8 coil 1 Hz 100% MT 900 Mc-b70 transducer, Dantec MagPro, Medical A/S,Skovlunde, Denmark 1 No PPT was measured by an electronic algometer over the distal phalanx of the fifth finger. CPT was measured with a cold pressor test, by immersing the hand in cold water (8+-1) and resporting the pain threshold. HPT was assessed with an infrared generator over the forearm. Electronic pressure algometer with a modified Randall–Selitto test (Basile Analgesy-Meter, Milan, Italy

Infrared generator (Basile Plantar-Test, Milan, Italy)
C4, figure 8 coil 1 Hz 100% MT 900 1 No
Mylius et al. (2007) Germany Crossover Healthy - - 12 participants (50% females) Mean age: 22.3 yrs. Group: A) a-rTMS. B) s-rTMS C3/C4 contralateral to induced pain, figure 8 coil 10 Hz 80% RMT Medtronic MagPro stimulator (Medtronic Functional Diagnostics, Skovlunde, Denmark) 1 No Pain threshold by electrical stimulation on the left calf over the subcutaneous course of sural nerve. Not specified
Borckardt et al. (2011) US Crossover Healthy - - 75 participants (60% female). Mean age: 29.95 Groups: A. 13 participants in rTMS at 1 Hz 80% of rMT. B. 12 participants in rTMS at 1 Hz 100% of rMT. C. 15 participants in 10Hz 80%rMT. D. 13 participants in 10Hz 100% rMT. E. 12 participants in 50 Hz triplets at 90% of active motor threshold (theta burst) C3, figure 8 coil 1 Hz 80% 1200 Neuronetics Model 2100, Neuronetics Inc.; Malvern, PA 1 No PPT was measured with a electrovonfrey anesthesiometer over the dorsum of the ventral pad of the digit minimi of the right hand TS was assessed measuring a serie of heat pulses (1 per 1.5 s) for 30 seconds over the left forearm PPT: Digital Electrovonfrey Anesthesiometer (IITC model Alemo 2290–4; Woodland Hills, CA, USA)

TS: The Medoc PATHWAY Pain & Sensory Evaluation System (Medoc Ltd, Israel)
C3, figure 8 coil 1Hz 100% 1200 1 No
C3, figure 8 coil 10 Hz 80% 1200 1 No
C3, figure 8 coil 10 Hz 100% 1200 1 No
C3, figure 8 coil 50 Hz triplets delivered at the rate of 5Hz 90% 1200 1 No
Ciampi de Andrade et al. (2011) France Crossover Healthy - - 36 participants: A. 12 participants in a-rTMS M1 (33% females). Mean age: 30.2 yrs. B. 12 participants in a-rTMS DLPFC/PMC(25% females). Mean age: 28.2 yrs. C. 12 participants in s-rTMS (42% females). Mean age: 29 yrs. C4, figure 8 coil 10 Hz 80% RMT 1500 MagPROX100 machine (MagVenture Tonika Elektronic, Farum, Denmark) 2 Naloxone or placebo CPT was measured with a Somedic thermotest over the lest thenar eminence. Somedic thermotest(Somedic AB, Stockholm, Sweden)
Ciampi de Andrade et al. (2014) France Crossover Healthy - - 36 participants: A. 12 participants in a-rTMS M1 (42% females). Mean age: 30.6 yrs. B. 12 participants in a-rTMS DLPFC/PMC(33% females). Mean age: 29.2 yrs. C. 12 participants in s-rTMS (42% females). Mean age: 29 yrs. C4, figure 8 coil 10 Hz 80% RMT 1500 MagPROX100 machine (Magventure Tonika Elektronic, Farum, Denmark) 2 Ketamine or placebo CPT was measured with a Somedic thermotest over the lest thenar eminence. Somedic Thermotest
(Somedic AB, Stockholm, Sweden)
Moisset et al. (2015) France Crossover Healthy - - “14 participants (50% females). Mean age: 26.9 yrs. Groups: A) prolonged continuous TBS (pcTBS). B) intermittent TBS (iTBS). C) classical 10 Hz rTMS. D) sham stimulation” C3, figure 8 coil Prolonged cTBS: Three pulses at 50 Hz (i.e. 60 ms) repeated 400 times at intervals of 200 ms 80% RMT 1200 MagPro 100 machine (Magventure Tonika Elektronic, Denmark), 1 No CPT was measured with a thermotest over both thenar eminences and over the left foot. Difference of pain score of suprathreshold stimulis over the right tenar eminence was measured before and after the immersion of the left foot in cold water (4–8 C) Somedic thermotest (Somedic AB, Stockholm, Sweden)
C3, figure 8 coil Intermittent TBS: 20 trains (3 pulses at 50 Hz repeated 10 times at 200 ms intervals) with an intertrain interval of 8 s (total of 600 pulses in 3 min and 20 s) 80% RMT 600 1 No
C3, figure 8 coil 10 Hz 80% RMT 1500 1 No
Lamusuo et al. (2017) Finland Crossover Healthy - - 10 participants (70% females). Mean age: Right M1/S1, double eight-shaped coil 10 90% RMT 1000 Nexstim Ltd.,Helsinki, Finland) with a double eight-shaped coilgiving biphasic pulses (Nexstim Ltd., Focal Bipulse8-coil) 1 No "Warm, coheat pain and cold pain detection thresholds in the infraorbital nerve distribution" TS device (Medoc Ltd., Rehovot,Israel)
Cavaleri et al. 2019 Australia Parallel Healthy - - 30 participants. Group: A. 15 participants in a-rTMS (47 % of females). Mean age: 23.9 yrs. B. 15 participants in a-rTMS (47 % of females). Mean age: 22.7 yrs. C3, figure 8 coil 1 Hz 90% RMT 1200 MagstimSuper Rapid2(Magstim Co Ltd, Dyfed, United Kingdom 5 No "PPT was measured with an algometer over the right (injected with nerve growth factor) ECRB muscle" Difference of PPT over the right ECRB muscle, injected site, before and after the immersion of the left had in cold water (4–6 C) as the conditioning stimulus Algometer (Somedic, 1 cm 2probe, Norra Mellby, Sweden)

a-tDCS: active-tDCS; a-rTMS: active repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; C3:left central lobe position based on 10–20 EEG system; C4:Right central lobe position based on 10–20 EEG system CPM: Conditioned Pain Modulation; CPT: Cold Pain Threshold; c-tDCS: cathodal tDCS; DLPFC: Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex; ECRB: Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis; EIMS: Electrical Intramuscular Stimulation; HPT: Heat Pain Threshold; iTBS: intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation; L-DLPFC: Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex; L-MC: Left-Motor Cortex; M1: Primary Motor Cortex; pcTBS: prolonged continuous Theta Burst Stimulation; PMC: Primary Motor Cortex; PPT: Pressure Pain Threshold; QST: Quantitative Sensory Testing; R-DLPFC: Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex; R-MC: Right Motor Cortex; RMT: Resting Motor Threshold; rTMS: repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; S1: Primary Somatosensorial Cortex; SO: Supraorbital; s-rTMS: sham-repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; s-tDCS: sham-tDCS; TBS:Theta Burst Stimulation; tDCS: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; TS: Temporal Summation.