Tweet
Prof Giovannoni and ActiveMSers have a whole lot in common. Check out his comments in one of his recent blog posts for BartsMS Blog. The study that has him so excited is posted below. Click the link to see all of the professor's comments... -D
Disabil Health J. 2016 Jan 28. pii: S1936-6574(16)00008-X. doi: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2016.01.006. [Epub ahead of print]
Selected health behaviors moderate the progression of functional limitations in persons with multiple sclerosis: Eleven years of annual follow-up.
Stuifbergen AK1, Blozis S2, Becker H3, Harrison T3, Kullberg V3.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic neurological disease typically diagnosed in young adulthood, presents with a wide variety of symptoms, impairments and functional limitations. Given the chronic, unpredictable and long-term nature of this disease, preserving function is essential.
OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this study was to identify psychosocial and behavioral factors that might influence the trajectory of functional limitation through eleven years of longitudinal follow-up of a sample of persons with MS.
METHODS:
Participants (N = 606) completed measures of health behaviors, related constructs and functional limitations annually over eleven years. Longitudinal measures of functional limitations were analyzed using random-effects regression that allows for study of individual differences in the trajectories of a measure. Using the best fitting quadratic growth model, we tested the within and between-person effects of Nutrition, Interpersonal Relationships, Exercise, Stress Management, Health Responsibilities, Spiritual Growth, Self-rated Health and Barriers, controlling for Age, Year since Diagnosis and Year of Dropout, on Functional Limitations in the 11th year.
RESULTS:
After adjusting for covariates, higher mean scores for Exercise and Self-rated Health were related to lower levels of Functional Limitations in Year 11. Higher mean scores for Stress Management, Health Responsibilities and Barriers were related to higher levels of Functional Limitations in Year 11. Higher mean Exercise scores and lower mean Health Responsibilities scores were related to slower rates of progression of functional limitations in Year 11.
CONCLUSION:
Findings suggest that the highly variable trajectory of functional limitations in MS may be extended and shaped through health behavior strategies.
Professor Gavin Giovannoni MBBCh, PhD, FCP (S.A., Neurol.), FRCP, FRCPath
I am going to stick my head out and state that exercise should be classified as a disease-modifying treatment for MS and that everyone with MS should be enrolled in an exercise programme of some description. It doesn't matter how disabled you are there is always a form of exercise that you will be able to perform.
http://multiple-sclerosis-research.b...is+Research%29
I am going to stick my head out and state that exercise should be classified as a disease-modifying treatment for MS and that everyone with MS should be enrolled in an exercise programme of some description. It doesn't matter how disabled you are there is always a form of exercise that you will be able to perform.
http://multiple-sclerosis-research.b...is+Research%29
Disabil Health J. 2016 Jan 28. pii: S1936-6574(16)00008-X. doi: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2016.01.006. [Epub ahead of print]
Selected health behaviors moderate the progression of functional limitations in persons with multiple sclerosis: Eleven years of annual follow-up.
Stuifbergen AK1, Blozis S2, Becker H3, Harrison T3, Kullberg V3.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic neurological disease typically diagnosed in young adulthood, presents with a wide variety of symptoms, impairments and functional limitations. Given the chronic, unpredictable and long-term nature of this disease, preserving function is essential.
OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this study was to identify psychosocial and behavioral factors that might influence the trajectory of functional limitation through eleven years of longitudinal follow-up of a sample of persons with MS.
METHODS:
Participants (N = 606) completed measures of health behaviors, related constructs and functional limitations annually over eleven years. Longitudinal measures of functional limitations were analyzed using random-effects regression that allows for study of individual differences in the trajectories of a measure. Using the best fitting quadratic growth model, we tested the within and between-person effects of Nutrition, Interpersonal Relationships, Exercise, Stress Management, Health Responsibilities, Spiritual Growth, Self-rated Health and Barriers, controlling for Age, Year since Diagnosis and Year of Dropout, on Functional Limitations in the 11th year.
RESULTS:
After adjusting for covariates, higher mean scores for Exercise and Self-rated Health were related to lower levels of Functional Limitations in Year 11. Higher mean scores for Stress Management, Health Responsibilities and Barriers were related to higher levels of Functional Limitations in Year 11. Higher mean Exercise scores and lower mean Health Responsibilities scores were related to slower rates of progression of functional limitations in Year 11.
CONCLUSION:
Findings suggest that the highly variable trajectory of functional limitations in MS may be extended and shaped through health behavior strategies.