title: One-year follow-up to a randomized controlled trial of an energy conservation course for persons with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: In this randomized controlled trial, 169 persons with multiple sclerosis were randomly assigned to an immediate intervention group or a delayed control group using a crossover design. The outcome measures (Fatigue Impact Scale and SF-36 Health Survey) were measured four times before and after courses. This study investigated whether the immediate benefits of a 6-week, community-based, energy conservation course for persons with multiple sclerosis were maintained at 1-year follow-up. We performed intent-to-treat and compliers-only analyses using mixed effects analysis of variance models. Results showed that the beneficial effects were maintained 1-year postcourse compared with immediate postcourse. In addition, there were significant improvements in all three subscales of the Fatigue Impact Scale and in four subscales of SF-36 Health Survey 1-year postcourse compared with precourse. Together, these results provide strong evidence that the beneficial effects of the energy conservation course taught by occupational therapists were maintained up to 1-year postcourse.
authors.affiliation: Program in Occupational Therapy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. mathi003@umn.edu
authors.forename: Virgil G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Mathiowetz
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Matuska
authors.forename: Marcia L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Finlayson
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Hua Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006804:Ergonomics; D005221:Fatigue / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D005222:Mental Fatigue / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008875:Middle Aged; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D012917:Social Adjustment