Ecological Validity of Walking Capacity Tests Following Rehabilitation in People with Multiple Sclerosis

Overview

Journal PLoS One

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2019 Aug 2

PMID 31369622

Citations 6

Authors

Rainer Ehling

Gabriel Bsteh

Andreas Muehlbacher

Kay Hermann

Christian Brenneis

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Walking capacity tests are commonly used to evaluate interventions aiming at reducing walking impairment in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). However, their ecological validity has recently been questioned. The aim of the present study was to investigate the ecological validity of the 2- and 6-minutes walking tests (2MWT and 6MWT) and the timed 25-foot walk (T25FW) after 28 days of multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation (MIR) in pwMS using accelerometry.

Methods: PwMS wore an accelerometer on 7 consecutive days within a 14-day period prior to MIR, performed 2/6MWT and T25FW at the beginning and at the end of MIR, followed by another 7 consecutive days of accelerometry.

Results: Significant improvements in 2/6MWT and T25FW after MIR in a cohort of 76 pwMS (mean age = 47.9, SD 8.3 years) were overall correlated to a significant gain in everyday life mobility (total steps/day). However, the correlation was strongly dependent on pre-existing walking disability defined by EDSS and only pwMS with "mild" walking impairment (EDSS 2-3.5) were able to transfer benefits measurable by walking capacity tests into improved everyday life mobility, while pwMS with "moderate to severe" walking disability (EDSS 4-6.5) were not.

Conclusion: Ecological validity of changes in walking capacity tests following MIR is strongly dependent on pre-existing walking impairment.

Citing Articles

Effects of multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation on everyday life physical activity and gait in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Prigent G, Aminian K, Gonzenbach R, April R, Paraschiv-Ionescu A J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2024; 21(1):88.

PMID: 38807215 PMC: 11131212. DOI: 10.1186/s12984-024-01383-0.

Intermediate outcomes for clinical trials of multiple sclerosis rehabilitation interventions: Conceptual and practical considerations.

Finlayson M, Feys P, Dalgas U, Kos D Mult Scler. 2023; 29(9):1186-1194.

PMID: 37555489 PMC: 10413783. DOI: 10.1177/13524585231189674.

Wearable Sensor Technologies to Assess Motor Functions in People With Multiple Sclerosis: Systematic Scoping Review and Perspective.

Woelfle T, Bourguignon L, Lorscheider J, Kappos L, Naegelin Y, Jutzeler C J Med Internet Res. 2023; 25:e44428.

PMID: 37498655 PMC: 10415952. DOI: 10.2196/44428.

Methodological heterogeneity biases physical activity metrics derived from the Actigraph GT3X in multiple sclerosis: A rapid review and comparative study.

Polhemus A, Haag C, Sieber C, Sylvester R, Kool J, Gonzenbach R Front Rehabil Sci. 2022; 3:989658.

PMID: 36518351 PMC: 9742246. DOI: 10.3389/fresc.2022.989658.

Three weeks of rehabilitation improves walking capacity but not daily physical activity in patients with multiple sclerosis with moderate to severe walking disability.

Kuendig S, Kool J, Polhemus A, Schallert W, Bansi J, Gonzenbach R PLoS One. 2022; 17(9):e0274348.

PMID: 36121792 PMC: 9484681. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274348.

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