STUDIO PILOTA  |  OPEN ACCESS

Copyright: ©2022  Questo è un articolo open-access, distribuito con licenza Creative Commons Attribution, che ne consente l’utilizzo, la distribuzione e la riproduzione su qualsiasi supporto esclusivamente per fini non commerciali, a condizione di riportare sempre autore e citazione originale. 4.0 Internazionale

Trattamento manipolativo osteopatico nella sintomatologia della sclerosi multipla: studio pilota per verifiche di efficienza metodologica

Viviani G, Ribizzi G, Borzone S. © Author(s) 2022; GIOSBE Journal

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION. Multiple sclerosis is a chronic degenerative autoimmune neurological disease. More and more individuals with multiple sclerosis rely on complementary medicines, in parallel with traditional treatments. Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMTh) is a manipulative therapeutic treatment, which also acts on the autonomic nervous system, and in Psycho Neuro Endocrino Immunology (PNEI) perspective, it could also have repercussions on the immune level. OBJECTIVE. The aim is to evaluate the effect of OMTh compared to placebo, as regards the degree of disability and the spastic, motor, pain symptoms, levels of fatigue, anxiety and the impact of diseases on the quality of life, in patients with multiple sclerosis. In addition, the feasibility of the drawn up experimental protocol was assessed. MATERIALS AND METHODS. 8 patients were included within the inclusion criteria and divided into two groups of 4 subjects each by randomization. The experimental group underwent OMTh, while the sham group underwent simulated therapy, both for a period of five weeks. The parameters were measured through neurological clinical tests and questionnaires, before and after the treatment cycle. RESULTS. Comparative t-tests between paired and independent sample means were performed. The tests revealed the probability that the variations obtained in the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) disability levels (p = 0.39), spasticity (p = 0.62), walking (p = 0.55), upper limb mobility (p = 0.21), tenderness (p = 0.22) and anxiety (p = 0.73) were due to chance. Significant levels of improvement were recorded in the OMTh group as regards fatigue (p = 0.03) and the incidence of the disease on the quality of life (p = 0.002). DISCUSSION. The OMTh and sham treatments did not bring changes regarding the parameters of disability, spasticity, mobility, pain and anxiety. Significant improvements were found in the levels of fatigue and quality of life in the OMTh group and not in the placebo ones. In no case there were adverse events due to osteopathic treatment reported. LIMITS: limitations were highlighted, in retrospect, in the choice of some measurement tools which could distort the results. CONCLUSION. In future studies it will be necessary to consider and modify the bias factors that have emerged. Further studies will be necessary to verify the clinical results obtained.

Key Words: Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment, Multiple Sclerosis, Fatigue, Quality of Life, PNEI system

© Author(s) 2022; GIOSBE Journal 2022 | Vol  7 (4)

email: viviani.osteopatia@gmail.com