title: Is physical behavior affected in fatigued persons with multiple sclerosis?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study physical behavior in detail in fatigued persons with multiple sclerosis (MS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control explorative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient rehabilitation department and participants' daily environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fatigued persons with MS (n=23) were selected from a randomized controlled trial. Cases were matched by age and sex to healthy, nonfatigued controls (n=23). Eligible persons with MS were severely fatigued (Checklist Individual Strength fatigue domain mean score, 43.2±6.6) and ambulatory (Expanded Disability Status Scale mean score, 2.5±1.5).
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measurements were performed using an accelerometer over 7 days. Outcomes included the following: amount of physical activity expressed in counts per day, counts per minute (CPM), and counts per day period (morning, afternoon, evening); duration of activity intensity categories (sedentary, light physical activity, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA]); and distribution of MVPA and sedentary periods over the day.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Persons with MS had fewer counts per day (mean difference, -156×10(3); 95% confidence interval [CI], -273×10(3) to -39×10(3); P=.010), had fewer CPM (mean difference, -135; 95% CI, -256 to -14; P=.030), and were less physically active in the morning (mean difference, -200; 95% CI, -389 to -11; P=.039) and evening (mean difference, -175; 95% CI, -336 to -14; P=.034) than controls. Persons with MS spent a higher percentage of their time sedentary (mean difference, 5.6; 95% CI, .1-11.1; P=.045) and spent less time at the higher MVPA intensity (mean difference, -2.4; 95% CI, -4.7 to -0.09; P=.042). They had fewer MVPA periods (mean difference, 29; 95% CI, -56.2 to -2.6; P=.032) and a different distribution of sedentary (mean difference, .033; 95% CI, .002 to .064; P=.039) and MVPA periods (mean difference, -.08; 95% CI, -.15 to -.01; P=.023).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Detailed analyses of physical behavior showed that ambulatory fatigued persons with MS do differ from healthy controls not only in physical activity level, but also in other physical behavior dimensions (eg, day patterns, intensity, distribution).
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: l.blikman@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Lyan J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Blikman
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jetty
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Meeteren
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Herwin L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Horemans
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ilse C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Kortenhorst
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Heleen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Beckerman
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Henk J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Stam
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Johannes B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Bussmann
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Motor activity; Multiple sclerosis; Rehabilitation; Sedentary lifestyle