Complementary and alternative therapies in multiple sclerosis: a systematic literature classification and analysis.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to systematically review and classify the use of mindfulness and other CAM therapies for managing MS symptoms based on the ICF model.
Results Summary
The review found that mindfulness was frequently used for managing MS symptoms, particularly mental functions like fatigue and depression, neuromuscular functions like gait and muscle strength, and sensory functions like balance. The evidence suggested mindfulness has potential to target multiple elements of the ICF model, though more rigorous trials are needed.
Population
Patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mindfulness | neutral | MS symptoms | - | - | frequently used for managing | #1 |
yoga | neutral | MS symptoms | - | - | frequently used for managing | #2 |
reflexology | neutral | MS symptoms | - | - | frequently used for managing | #3 |
mindfulness | neutral | mental functions | MS patients | - | used as a CAM therapy for the management of | #4 |
yoga | neutral | mental functions | MS patients | - | used as a CAM therapy for the management of | #5 |
mindfulness | neutral | fatigue | MS patients | - | devoted to | #6 |
yoga | neutral | fatigue | MS patients | - | devoted to | #7 |
mindfulness | neutral | depression | MS patients | - | devoted to | #8 |
yoga | neutral | depression | MS patients | - | devoted to | #9 |
mindfulness | neutral | cognition | MS patients | - | devoted to | #10 |
yoga | neutral | cognition | MS patients | - | devoted to | #11 |
mindfulness | neutral | neuromuscular functions | MS patients | - | devoted to | #12 |
yoga | neutral | neuromuscular functions | MS patients | - | devoted to | #13 |
mindfulness | neutral | gait | MS patients | - | devoted to | #14 |
yoga | neutral | gait | MS patients | - | devoted to | #15 |
mindfulness | neutral | muscle strength | MS patients | - | devoted to | #16 |
yoga | neutral | muscle strength | MS patients | - | devoted to | #17 |
mindfulness | neutral | spasticity | MS patients | - | devoted to | #18 |
yoga | neutral | spasticity | MS patients | - | devoted to | #19 |
mindfulness | neutral | sensory function | MS patients | - | devoted to | #20 |
yoga | neutral | sensory function | MS patients | - | devoted to | #21 |
mindfulness | neutral | balance | MS patients | - | devoted to | #22 |
yoga | neutral | balance | MS patients | - | devoted to | #23 |
reflexology | neutral | mental functions | MS patients | - | vastly used to management of | #24 |
CAM therapies | increase | numerous elements outlined in the ICF model | patients with MS | - | have the potential to target and enhancement | #25 |
INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease determined by inflammatory demyelination and neurodegeneration in the Central Nervous System (CNS). Despite the extensive utilization of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in MS, there is a need to have comprehensive evidence regarding their application in the management of MS symptoms. This manuscript is a Systematic Literature Review and classification (SLR) of CAM therapies for the management of MS symptoms based on the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) model. METHOD: Studies published between 1990 and 2020 IN PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Pro-Quest, and Google Scholar using CAM therapies for the management of MS symptoms were analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty-one papers on the subject were analyzed and classified. The findings of this review clearly show that mindfulness, yoga, and reflexology were frequently used for managing MS symptoms. Moreover, most of the papers used mindfulness and yoga as a CAM therapy for the management of MS symptoms, which mostly devoted to mental functions such as fatigue, depression, cognition, neuromuscular functions such as gait, muscle strength, and spasticity, and sensory function such as balance, in addition to, reflexology is vastly used to management of mental functions of MS patients. CONCLUSION: Evidence suggested that CAM therapies in patients with MS have the potential to target and enhancement numerous elements outlined in the ICF model. Although the use of CAM therapies in MS symptom management is promising, there is a need for strict clinical trials. Future research direction should concentrate on methodologically powerful studies to find out the potential efficacy of CAM intervention.