Combined interventions, acupuncture or massage therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, exercise therapy, and eHealth interventions can effectively alleviate fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis.
In the methodology used, seven databases were searched from their inception until May 2024. The process involved literature screening and data extraction, with the Cochrane Bias Assessment Tool 2.0 version being used to evaluate the quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A network meta-analysis evaluated the relative efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions on fatigue.
The results showed that five non-pharmacological interventions were more effective than the control group in improving fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis. These interventions comprised exercise therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, acupuncture or massage therapy, eHealth interventions, and combined interventions. Particularly, combined interventions were found to be the most effective non-pharmacological intervention to improve fatigue. These findings offer support to clinical decision-making to manage fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis.
