Trial reportMultiple sclerosis and related disorders2020
Smartphone based behavioral therapy for pain in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients: A feasibility acceptability randomized controlled study for the treatment of comorbid migraine and ms pain.
Trial report in Multiple sclerosis and related disorders, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 25 citations in OpenAlex.
- Behavioral interventions for migraine prevention: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Headache · 2025Pooled it
- User Engagement With mHealth Interventions to Promote Treatment Adherence and Self-Management in People With Chronic Health Conditions: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Factors Influencing Adherence to mHealth Apps for Prevention or Management of Noncommunicable Diseases: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2022Pooled it
- Attrition Within Digital Health Interventions for People With Multiple Sclerosis: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2022Pooled it
- Smartphone-Based Muscle Relaxation for Migraine in the Emergency Department: A Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2025Trial
- Clinical Insights and Radiological Features on Multiple Sclerosis Comorbid with Migraine.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- Headache providers' perspectives of headache diaries in the era of increasing technology use: a qualitative study.Frontiers in neurology · 2023Article
- eDOL mHealth App and Web Platform for Self-monitoring and Medical Follow-up of Patients With Chronic Pain: Observational Feasibility Study.JMIR formative research · 2022Article
- Underuse of Behavioral Treatments for Headache: a Narrative Review Examining Societal and Cultural Factors.Journal of general internal medicine · 2021Review
- Is mHealth a Useful Tool for Self-Assessment and Rehabilitation of People with Multiple Sclerosis? A Systematic Review.Brain sciences · 2021Review
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundMultiple Sclerosis (MS) and Migraine are comorbid neurologic conditions. Migraine prevalence is three times higher in the MS clinic population compared to the general population, and patients with MS and migraine are more symptomatic than patients with MS without migraine.
objectiveWe sought to conduct a pilot feasibility and acceptability study of the RELAXaHEAD app in MS-Migraine patients and to assess whether there was any change in migraine disability and MS pain-related disability.
methodsRandomized controlled study of patients with MS-migraine ages 18-80 years with 4+ headache days/ month who were willing to engage in smartphone based behavioral therapy. Half received the RELAXaHEAD app with progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and the other half received the app without the PMR. Data was collected for 90 days on measures of recruitment, retention, engagement, and adherence to RELAXaHEAD. Preliminary data was also collected on migraine disability (MIDAS) and MS pain (PES).
resultsSixty-two subjects with MS-migraine were enrolled in the study (34 in PMR arm, 28 in monitored usual care arm). On average, during the 90 days, participants played the PMR on average 1.8 times per week, and for 12.9 min on days it was played. Forty-one percent (14/34) of the participants played the PMR two or more times weekly on average. Data was entered into the daily diaries, on average, 49% (44/90) of the days. There were major challenges in reaching subjects in follow-up for the efficacy data, and there was no significant change in migraine disability (MIDAS) scores or MS Pain (PES) scores from baseline to the endpoints. During the six-month follow-up, most patients felt either positively or neutral about the relaxation therapy.
conclusionThere was interest in scalable accessible forms of behavioral therapy to treat migraine and MS-related pain in patients with MS and comorbid migraine. Similar to prior studies, a significant minority were willing to practice the PMR at least twice weekly. In the societal shift from telephone to more text and internet-based interactions, follow up was challenging, but those reached indicated that they appreciated the PMR and would recommend it to others. Future work should focus on engagement and efficacy.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.