High-intensity interval training effects on people with multiple sclerosis; a systematic review and meta-analyses for exercise capacity and fatigue.

Abstract

This study was to examine the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) interventions on exercise capacity and fatigue in people with MS. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis. PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar databases were systematically searched from inception to January 2024. We reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that focused their intervention on HIIT for people with MS to improve exercise capacity or fatigue. Two researchers performed the search process independently in the different databases and assessed methodological quality and risk of bias. Eleven studies were included in the systematic review and seven of them were meta-analyzed. The overall pooled effect favored HIIT interventions in improving exercise capacity (SMD = 0.29; 95% CI = 0-05,0.53; p = 0.02) and reducing fatigue (SMD = -0.26; 95% CI = -0.50, -0.02; p = 0.03) in people with MS. We generally found a low risk of bias and a good methodological quality. The results of this review and meta-analysis provide evidence that HIIT interventions improved and reduced fatigue in people with MS. HIIT intervention may be a good option to improve exercise capacity and reduce fatigue of these people.