title: Physical capacity and quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physical capacity (PC) and quality of life (QoL) are both reduced in multiple sclerosis (MS).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Aim of our study was to investigate limitations in PC and QoL in response to the severity of MS.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved 60 patients (PG) (Expanded Disability Status Scale EDSS 0-3:38, EDSS 3.5-6:22) and 48 healthy controls (CG). Endurance capacity was assessed as peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VAT). Maximum force was measured in isokinetic testing. QoL was assessed using the SF-36-questionnaire and HALEMS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with MS showed reduced VO2peak and QoL in comparison with CG. Patients with an EDSS >3 showed reduced VO2peak, and maximum force, however at the VAT there was no significant difference independent of the EDSS. The MS-specific QoL HALEMS and subscales 1, 4, 6, 8 and the physical sum score of the SF-36-questionnaire were evaluated to be better in patients with an EDSS ≤3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are limitations within PC in patients with MS in comparison with a healthy CG; within the PG there are notes on a similar aerobic capacity but worsened anaerobic capacity in patients with an EDSS >3. This should be taken into account in future treatment strategies for training therapy.
authors.affiliation: Hannover Medical School, Institute of Sports Medicine, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kerling
authors.affiliation: Hannover Medical School, Institute of Sports Medicine, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Keweloh
authors.affiliation: Hannover Medical School, Institute of Sports Medicine, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tegtbur
authors.affiliation: Hannover Medical School, Institute of Sports Medicine, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kück
authors.affiliation: Hannover Medical School, Institute of Sports Medicine, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grams
authors.affiliation: Hannover Medical School, Institute of Sports Medicine, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Horstmann
authors.affiliation: Hannover Medical School, Department of Neurology, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Windhagen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D016552:Ergometry / Q000379:methods; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: $VO_{2peak}$; EDSS; Multiple sclerosis; quality of life; ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VAT)