Background <p>Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system. Conventional treatments often fail to adequately address symptoms such as sleep disturbances.</p> Objective <p>To investigate the efficacy of music therapy as a complementary intervention in improving sleep quality among patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).</p> Methods <p>This randomized controlled trial enrolled 60 RRMS patients from the Comprehensive MS Center in Mashhad between June and September 2024. Sample size was calculated based on a medium effect size (Cohen’s d = 0.5), yielding 54 participants, which was increased to 60 to account for potential attrition. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (music therapy plus standard care) or a control group (standard care only). The intervention consisted of music therapy sessions three times daily for two weeks. Sleep quality was assessed at baseline and post-intervention using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), including its seven subscales. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 26.</p> Results <p>Baseline PSQI scores were similar between groups (10.5 ± 2.8 vs. 11.8 ± 3.3, <i>p</i> = 0.093). Post-intervention, the intervention group showed a statistically significant improvement compared to the control group (9.4 ± 2.6 vs. 10.9 ± 3.0, <i>p</i> = 0.047). While within-group changes were not significant, improvements were most notable in subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, and daytime dysfunction, reflecting modest clinical effects.</p> Conclusion <p>Music therapy is a safe, accessible, and cost-effective complementary intervention that improves sleep quality in patients with RRMS. Reliance on subjective measures is a limitation; future studies should include objective sleep assessments.</p> <p><i>Trial registration</i> IRCT20231001059576N1, registered November 04, 2023.</p>

错误:搜索内容不能为空,请输入英文关键词
错误:关键词超出字数限制,请精简
高级检索

Effect of music therapy on sleep quality in patients with multiple sclerosis in a randomized clinical trial

  • Hamid Reza Zendehtalab,
  • Samira Mohajer,
  • Mohammad Ali Nahayati,
  • Seyyed Reza Mazloum,
  • Milad Rezaei

摘要

Background

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system. Conventional treatments often fail to adequately address symptoms such as sleep disturbances.

Objective

To investigate the efficacy of music therapy as a complementary intervention in improving sleep quality among patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Methods

This randomized controlled trial enrolled 60 RRMS patients from the Comprehensive MS Center in Mashhad between June and September 2024. Sample size was calculated based on a medium effect size (Cohen’s d = 0.5), yielding 54 participants, which was increased to 60 to account for potential attrition. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (music therapy plus standard care) or a control group (standard care only). The intervention consisted of music therapy sessions three times daily for two weeks. Sleep quality was assessed at baseline and post-intervention using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), including its seven subscales. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 26.

Results

Baseline PSQI scores were similar between groups (10.5 ± 2.8 vs. 11.8 ± 3.3, p = 0.093). Post-intervention, the intervention group showed a statistically significant improvement compared to the control group (9.4 ± 2.6 vs. 10.9 ± 3.0, p = 0.047). While within-group changes were not significant, improvements were most notable in subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, and daytime dysfunction, reflecting modest clinical effects.

Conclusion

Music therapy is a safe, accessible, and cost-effective complementary intervention that improves sleep quality in patients with RRMS. Reliance on subjective measures is a limitation; future studies should include objective sleep assessments.

Trial registration IRCT20231001059576N1, registered November 04, 2023.