Dropout Rate of Participants in Randomized Controlled Trials Using Different Exercise-Based Interventions in Patients with Migraine. A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Exercise has gained attention as a potentially beneficial non-pharmacological intervention, but whether this type of intervention presents a higher dropout rate compared to other interventions is still unknown. This systematic review, with a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, aims to determine whether exercise or comparators present lower or higher attrition in patients with migraine. Methods: A search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library until March 2025. The methodological quality was evaluated using the JBI scale for randomized trials. Proportion meta-analysis calculated the dropout rate. Results: Odds ratio meta-analysis under 1 indicated lower attrition in experimental participants. Subgroup meta-analyses sorted by type of exercise, control, and migraine were conducted to explore variability in results based on the mentioned moderators. The overall pooled dropout rate was 6.7%, 11.6% for the exercise groups, and 10.1% for the comparators. No statistical difference was found between groups of studies, type of migraine, type of exercise, and type of comparator (p ≥ 0.05). Only the odds ratio results for migraine with auras showed a lower pooled dropout rate in favor of control participants, OR = 1.18. Conclusions: Although there is no statistically significant difference, the meta-analysis of proportions shows a higher loss rate in exercise-based interventions. However, the high heterogeneity found in the…
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