A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included three studies with a total of 149 subjects. Studies are small, poorly reported and outdated. When hypnosis was compared with standard treatment no one left the study early between 1-8 weeks (n=70, 2 RCTs, risk difference 0.00, CI -0.09 to 0.09). Mental state scores were unaffected (n=60, 1 RCT, MD Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) by 1 week -3.6, CI -12.05 to 4.8) as were measures of movement disorders and neurocognitive function. Compared with relaxation, hypnosis was also acceptable (n=106, 3 RCTs, RR leaving the study early 2.00, CI 0.2 to 2.15) and had no discernable effect on mental state (n=60, 1 RCT, MD BPRS by 1 week -3.4, CI -11.4 to 4.6), movement disorders or neurocognitive function. Hypnosis was as acceptable as music (Sibelius) by 4 weeks (n=36, RR leaving the study early 5.0, CI 0.3 to 97.4).
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by limitations in study quality, by imprecise results (few patients and wide confidence intervals) and by inconsistency (variability in results across studies).
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