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Yoga for multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Holger Cramer1, Romy Lauche1, Hoda Azizi2
1Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Faculty of Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
Plos One
|November 13, 2014
Summary
Yoga may offer short-term benefits for fatigue and mood in multiple sclerosis patients, but evidence is limited. No significant improvements were found in quality of life or mobility, and effects were not robust against bias.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease impacting quality of life.
- Yoga is increasingly explored for its therapeutic potential in various health conditions.
- Evidence for yoga's efficacy in multiple sclerosis (MS) requires systematic evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on yoga's efficacy and safety in MS patients.
- To assess yoga's impact on health-related quality of life, fatigue, mobility, mood, and cognitive function.
- To evaluate the robustness of yoga's effects against bias and compare them to usual care and exercise.
Main Methods:
- Searched major databases (Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, PsycINFO, etc.) through March 2014.
- Included seven RCTs involving 670 MS patients assessing predefined outcomes.
- Assessed risk of bias using the Cochrane tool and performed meta-analysis.
Main Results:
- Short-term improvements in fatigue (SMD = -0.52) and mood (SMD = -0.55) were observed compared to usual care.
- These effects on fatigue and mood were not robust against bias.
- No significant short-term or longer-term effects were found for quality of life, mobility, or cognitive function compared to usual care or exercise.
- Yoga was not associated with serious adverse events.
Conclusions:
- Current evidence on yoga's efficacy for multiple sclerosis is methodologically limited.
- No recommendation can be made for yoga as a routine intervention in MS.
- Yoga may be considered for MS patients who do not adhere to recommended exercise regimens.
