Effects of osteopathic manipulative treatment on patients with multiple sclerosis: A pilot study

Objectives: To describe the effects of osteopathic manipulative treatment in patients affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Design and setting This is a pilot study involving 20 MS patients attending the IRCCS Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", Messina, Italy. Intervention: The clinical evaluation was performed before starting rehabilitation treatment (TO) and after 8 weeks of treatment (T1). The CG sample undergo a conventional rehabilitation training (CRT), 5 times/week for 60 min (for a total of 40 sessions), the EG performed the same CRT (but with a different frequency, i.e. 3 times/week, for a total of 24 sessions) and a specific OMT 2 times/week for 60 min (for a total of 16 sessions). Main outcome measures: We analyzed the scores recorded in the following main scales: Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), 10 m walking test (10mWT), Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HRS-A), and the Fatigue severity scale (FSS). Results: Our data showed a reduction in the FSS score for the EG (40 +/- 1,41 at T0 vs 37 +/- 2,32 at T1; p = 0.04) but not in the CG (41 +/- 2,41 at TO vs 39 +/- 2,6 at T1) with an intergroup difference p < 0.00. An improvement of HRS-A and 10mWT was also detected in the EG. Conclusions: Our data raise idea that OMT might be useful in rehabilitative setting in MS patients, with particular regard to anxiety and fatigue.