Some MS Patients Resist Physical Activity Boost

June 2, 2014

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who would benefit the most from an increase in physical activity were, unfortunately, those for whom an intervention designed to boost it was least effective, a researcher said here.

In a secondary analysis of data from an earlier, overall successful trial of an Internet-based exercise intervention, factors associated with the strongest responses included mild versus moderate disability, body weight in the normal range versus obesity, and relapsing-remitting versus progressive MS, according to Robert Motl, PhD, of the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.

There is “value in modifying and refining interventions” to improve their chances of success in difficult populations, he suggested at the joint meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers and the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis.

Separately, another analysis of the same trial data indicated that, in the overall study sample, the improvements seen in measures of physical activity were accompanied by reductions in time spent sitting.

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