A non-inferiority randomized controlled trial comparing a home-based aerobic exercise program to a self-administered cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia in cancer patients

Study Objectives Thirty to sixty percent of cancer patients have insomnia symptoms, a condition which may lead to numerous negative consequences and for which an efficacious management is required. This randomized controlled trial aimed to assess the efficacy of a 6-week home-based aerobic exercise program (EX) compared to that of a 6-week self-administered cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) to improve sleep in cancer patients. Method Forty-one patients (78.1% female, mean age 57 years) with various types of cancer and having insomnia symptoms (Insomnia Severity Index [ISI] score ≥ 8) were randomized to the EX (n = 20) or the CBT-I (n = 21) groups. Measures were completed at pretreatment and posttreatment, as well as at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Results The EX intervention was statistically inferior to CBT-I in reducing ISI scores at posttreatment but was non-inferior at follow-up. However, no significant group-by-time interaction was found on any outcome and both interventions led to a significant improvement of subjectively-assessed sleep impairments on the ISI, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and most sleep parameters from a daily sleep diary at posttreatment corresponding to medium to large time effects (ds > 0.50 for ISI, PSQI, sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, total wake time and sleep efficiency). Conclusion Both interventions produced significant improvements of sleep. However, EX was found to be significantly inferior to CBT-I in reducing ISI scores at posttreatment, which contradicts the initial non-inferiority hypothesis. These findings suggest that CBT-I remains the treatment of choice for cancer-related insomnia, although EX can lead to some beneficial effects.