Original article
Accelerometry and Its Association With Objective Markers of Walking Limitations in Ambulatory Adults With Multiple Sclerosis

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2010.08.011Get rights and content

Abstract

Motl RW, Dlugonski D, Suh Y, Weikert M, Fernhall B, Goldman M. Accelerometry and its association with objective markers of walking limitations in ambulatory adults with multiple sclerosis.

Objective

To validate accelerometry based on its correlations with 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and oxygen cost of walking as objective markers of walking limitations in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Design

Cross-sectional.

Setting

Laboratory and general community.

Participants

Ambulatory participants with MS (N=26) who resided in the local community.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) scale and Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 (MSWS-12); 6-minute walk test while wearing a portable metabolic unit for measuring the 6MWD and oxygen cost of walking; accelerometer during the waking hours of a 7-day period.

Results

The average of total daily movement counts from the accelerometer correlated significantly and strongly with MSWS-12 scores (ρ=–.681, P=.001), PDDS scores (ρ=–.609, P=.001), 6MWD (ρ=.519, P=.003), and oxygen cost of walking (ρ=–.541, P=.002).

Conclusions

We provide evidence that further supports the validity of accelerometry as a measure of walking limitations in ambulatory persons with MS.

Section snippets

Participants With MS

We recruited a sample of persons with MS through distribution of advertisements among 3 sources: a pool of previous research participants with MS, the local MS chapter, and referrals from local neurologists. Participants with MS who were interested in the study contacted our laboratory, by telephone or e-mail, for further information about the study. The study was described as a focus on the measurement of walking and energy expenditure among people with MS, and if the participant was

Sample Characteristics

The mean age ± SD of the sample was 43.1±11.9 years, and the sample was primarily women (n=22, 85%) and white (n=22, 85%). The mean height ± SD and mean weight ± SD were 169.2±9.3cm and 70.2±14.7kg, respectively, and this yielded a mean body mass index ± SD of 24.6±5.3kg/m2. The mean time ± SD since MS diagnosis was 11.6±8.4 years, and all participants had relapsing-remitting MS.

Descriptive Statistics

The descriptive and distributional statistics for the accelerometer, MSWS-12, PDDS, 6MWD, and oxygen cost of walking

Discussion

The results of the present study indicate that the average of total daily movement counts from the accelerometer was significantly and strongly correlated with distance traveled and the oxygen cost of walking during the 6MWT. This observation is important because the 6MWD and oxygen cost of walking are objective, laboratory-based markers of locomotor limitations in MS that likely reflect the capacity for ambulation in real life. Persons who have a lower capacity for walking based on a reduced

Conclusions

We provide evidence that extends the validity of inferences from accelerometry as a measure of walking limitations based on associations with the 6MWD and the oxygen cost of walking (ie, objective markers) in persons with MS. We await continued investigations of the validity and responsiveness of this metric versus other markers of walking limitations in MS, as this will highlight the comparative value of accelerometry for capturing real-life locomotor limitations. Such continued examination is

References (19)

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