A randomized pilot study of naturopathic medicine in multiple sclerosis
Lynne Shinto1, Carlo Calabrese, Cynthia Morris
1Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239-3098, USA. shintol@ohsu.edu
Summary
Naturopathic medicine showed a trend toward improving quality of life and neurologic function in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Further research is warranted to evaluate this complementary therapy for MS management.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Integrative Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is prevalent among individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Limited data exist on the safety and efficacy of CAM interventions for MS.
- Naturopathic medicine, a broad CAM approach, may offer quality of life benefits for MS patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of naturopathic medicine interventions on the quality of life in patients with MS.
- To assess the safety and effectiveness of a comprehensive naturopathic medicine approach in a pilot study.
Main Methods:
- A pilot, randomized controlled trial was conducted over a 6-month intervention period.
- Participants with clinically definite MS were assigned to one of three groups: usual care, naturopathic medicine plus usual care, or MS education plus usual care.
- Quality of life (SF-36), fatigue, depression, cognition, and neurologic impairment (EDSS) were primary and secondary outcome measures. Safety was monitored through adverse event reporting and laboratory tests.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences were observed between groups for any primary or secondary outcome measures.
- A trend favoring the naturopathic group was noted in the SF-36 General Health subscale (p=0.11), Timed Walk (p=0.11), and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) (p=0.07).
- Adverse events and laboratory results showed no significant differences across the intervention groups, indicating a favorable safety profile.
Conclusions:
- Naturopathic medicine, when integrated with usual care for MS, demonstrated a trend towards improved general health, mobility, and reduced neurologic impairment.
- The findings suggest that naturopathic medicine warrants further investigation as a multimodal treatment strategy for multiple sclerosis.
- The safety profile of naturopathic medicine in MS patients was comparable to usual care and MS education groups.
