Benefits of yoga for reduce fatigue in multiple sclerosis: clinical trial

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. It is the leading cause of non-traumatic disability in adults. There are multiple factors involved in the disease, despite numerous investigations, the pathophysiology today remains uncertain. Fatigue in MS is one of the most disabling symptoms on a day-to-day basis, it can affect up to 80% of patients. As with MS, the pathophysiological processes underlying fatigue remain uncertain. Given the lack of knowledge about fatigue, there is no completely effective treatment to reduce it, which is why we propose an approach through yoga, since it has been shown that aerobic exercise is beneficial in reducing this symptom.

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study is to determine if the practice of yoga in MS patients reduces fatigue. In addition, secondarily we will study its possible influence on: quality of life, kinesiophobia, sleep quality, gait speed, balance, depression, sexual function and relapses.

DESIGN: controlled, randomized, prospective, single-blind, single-center clinical trial.

PARTICIPANTS: 88 patients aged 18 to 65 years diagnosed with MS according to the McDonald 2017 criteria under follow-up at the Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Unit of the Santa Caterina Hospital, who also presented fatigue characterized by a score >38p on the MFIS scale.

INTERVENTION: Participants will be randomly assigned into two groups of equal size (1:1/44:44). The members of the intervention group will attend yoga classes twice a week for 1 hour, for 6-months. Both groups, at the beginning and at the end of the study, will complete the scales that we want to evaluate with the nursing team (blinded). In addition, controls will be carried out with the neurologist to assess the evolution