Abstract
Purpose
To evaluate the feasibility of a combined upper limb and breathing exercise for a home-based program and to explore its effect on primary fatigue and quality of life in ambulatory and non-ambulatory individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) in a short time.
Method
Nineteen individuals with MS were assigned into semi-controlled pre-post feasibility study based on Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) status and divided into two groups: exercise (five ambulatory, five non-ambulatory; EDSS 1.0–8.0) and related control with no exercise (four ambulatory, five non-ambulatory; EDSS 1.0–7.5). Exercise group performed combined upper limb and breathing exercise in a controlled group (2 days/week, 60 min/session) accompanied by independent home exercise (3 days/week, ≥ 20 min/session). Participants underwent measures of fatigue impact (Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) and quality of life (RAND Medical outcomes study 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36)) before and after a 4-week period.
Results
The MFIS (physical, psychosocial, total) showed statistically significant group-by-time interaction in ambulatory (p = 0.033, d = 1.60; p = 0.039, d = 1.59; p = 0.033, d = 1.62) and non-ambulatory individuals (p = 0.009, d = 2.42; p = 0.018, d = 1.96; p = 0.0008, d = 3.92). Physical functioning (SF-36) showed statistically significant group-by-time interaction in ambulatory (p = 0.014, d = 2.14) but no significance in non-ambulatory (p = 0.368, d = 0.68) individuals. Despite the absent statistical significance, there were large intervention effects on MFIS cognitive scores for ambulatory (d = 1.28) and non-ambulatory (d = 1.47), and on other SF-36 scores for ambulatory (general health: d = 1.76 and pain: d = 1.02) and non-ambulatory (physical limitation: d = 1.03 and emotional well-being: d = 0.94) individuals.
Conclusion
Our 4-week program reduced some aspects of fatigue and improved some aspects of quality of life in a small group of ambulatory and non-ambulatory individuals with MS. Good feasibility and significant positive changes from baseline warrant further exploratory work.
Trial registration
Name of the registry: The Impact of Exercise Training on Living Quality in Multiple Sclerosis. Registration: The study was registered at www.clinicaltrial.gov on July 14, 2017. First participant enrollment: August 28, 2017. URL: 602-01/17-01-147; Trial registration ID: NTC03222596.
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Abbreviations
- CNS:
-
Central nervous system
- EDSS:
-
Expanded Disability Status Scale
- HE:
-
Home exercise
- MS:
-
Multiple sclerosis
- MSSC:
-
MS Society Center
- MFIS:
-
Modified Fatigue Impact Scale
- QOL:
-
Quality of life
- SF-36:
-
Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey
- UL:
-
Upper limb
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Acknowledgements
We want to thank the volunteers and the Multiple Sclerosis Society in Rijeka, Croatia, for the accomplished results, Martina Budanko, PT, and Dijana Ivanišević, BEcon, for assistance and support with recruiting participants.
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All subjects signed written informed consent and the study was approved by the local ethical committee (602-01/17-01-147) and registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov (www.clinicaltrial.gov).
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Grubić Kezele, T., Babić, M. & Štimac, D. Exploring the feasibility of a mild and short 4-week combined upper limb and breathing exercise program as a possible home base program to decrease fatigue and improve quality of life in ambulatory and non-ambulatory multiple sclerosis individuals. Neurol Sci 40, 733–743 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-019-3707-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-019-3707-0