Children with MS less physically active than those with monophasic acquired demyelinating syndrome
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For children with multiple sclerosis (MS), those reporting greater amounts of physical activity (PA) have fewer symptoms, according to a study published online Aug. 12 in Neurology.
Stephanie A. Grover, from the University of Toronto, and colleagues conducted a cross-sectional study to examine the correlation between PA and MS disease activity, depression, and fatigue. One hundred ten patients were included in the study (79 with monophasic acquired demyelinating syndrome [mono-ADS] and 31 with MS).
The researchers found that, compared with patients with mono-ADS, patients with MS reported less strenuous (P = 0.002) and total (P = 0.0291) PA. For patients with MS, reporting greater amounts of moderate PA metabolic equivalents correlated with fewer sleep/rest fatigue symptoms. There was a correlation noted between participation in strenuous PA and smaller T2 lesion volumes and lower annualized relapse rate. Total brain volume was not associated with participation in PA.
“Children with MS reporting higher levels of strenuous PA had lower T2 lesion volumes and lower relapse rates, suggesting a potential protective effect of strenuous PA in this population,” the authors write. “Further longitudinal studies are needed to establish the relationship of PA to MS symptoms and disease activity in this population.”
Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.
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