Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

STUDY: No relevant impact of ambient temperature on disability measurements in MSers

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • STUDY: No relevant impact of ambient temperature on disability measurements in MSers

    Perhaps because I have more disability (EDSS 6.0-6.5), heat whacks me harder. But this study also doesn't measure heat's effect on fatigue, which I think would be huge. - D

    Eur J Neurol. 2017 Jun;24(6):851-857. doi: 10.1111/ene.13301.

    No relevant impact of ambient temperature on disability measurements in a large cohort of patients with multiple sclerosis.

    Stellmann JP1,2, Young KL1,2, Vettorazzi E3, Pöttgen J1,2, Heesen C1,2.

    Abstract

    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:
    Many patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) report a worsening of symptoms due to high ambient temperatures, but objective data about this association are rare and contradictory. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of ambient temperature on standard clinical tests.

    METHODS:
    We extracted the Symbol Digit Modality Test, Nine Hole Peg Test, Timed 25 Foot Walk (T25FW), Timed Tandem Walk, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and quality-of-life items on cognition, fatigue and depression from our clinical database and matched them to historical temperatures. We used linear mixed-effect models to investigate the association between temperature and outcomes.

    RESULTS:
    A total of 1254 patients with MS (mean age, 42.7*years; 69.9% females; 52.1% relapsing-remitting MS, mean EDSS, 3.8) had 5751 assessments between 1996 and 2012. We observed a worsening in the T25FW with higher ambient temperatures in moderately disabled patients (EDSS*≥*4) but not in less disabled patients. However, an increase of 10°C prolonged the T25FW by just 0.4*s. Other outcomes were not associated with ambient temperatures.

    CONCLUSIONS:
    Higher ambient temperature might compromise walking capabilities in patients with MS with a manifest walking impairment. However, effects are small and not detectable in mildly disabled patients. Hand function, cognition, mood and fatigue do not appear to be correlated with ambient temperature.
    Dave Bexfield
    ActiveMSers

  • #2
    Is this fake news?!?

    Dave, I agree with you, heat weakens me quickly and can trigger my spasticity. This is observable to me and anyone who is around me when I overheat. I think the threshold ambient temperture for me is 89-90 degrees F. Not hard in Texas. I plan my excursions and ways of reducing my core temperture carefully everyday.

    I unfortunately can't access the full article but I have A LOT to say about the abstract for this article. Please excuse me if I have misunderstood these medical doctors and their published findings. The words appropriate for public viewing are:
    1) The authors did not say that increased body temperature doesnt impair the ability of a demyelinated nerve to conduct electrical impulses (in fact it doesn't appear from abstract that the speed of nerve impulses were measured during any of the tests);
    2) extracted data is taken from sources which may not have intended the data to be anaylzed for this purpose;
    3) Reviewing recorded weather temperatures to correlate with extracted data?!? Really, did i understand that correctly? So if my MS bad days don't correlate to high heat index than heat doesnt impact my MS? What about other variables that impact ambient heat like if the aircondtioner in the dr's lobby was broken or on ultra high ?;
    4) These doctor authors are located in Germany and Germany (like rest of world) is experiencing increased insurance cost of paying for MS DMDs (and I assume for disabled non working MSers )and Germans are reviewing its diagnostic criteria for MS.
    5) Who funded this reasearch? Germany's minestry of health ? German Nursing Homes without central aircondtioning?
    6) What benefit to MSers and the drs who treat MS does this meta data extracted data provide?

    I'm a huge supportor of using meta analysis to discover patterns in disease. But we, especially well revered respected medical experts in their fields need to be careful to not overstate the data. Take away- If your doctor cites this article, ask doctor why nerve impulses slow when body temperture rises.

    Comment


    • #3
      SueBee, you mention that you plan your excursions and ways of reducing your core temperture carefully everyday during high heat periods in TX. Can you share with us the ways you successfully reduce your core temperature? Our son is also very sensitive to heat and lives in the wonderful State of TX.
      Thanks,
      SAW

      Comment

      Working...
      X