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Walking function in clinical monitoring of multiple sclerosis by telemedicine

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Abstract

Walking limitation is a key component of disability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), but the information on daily walking activity and disability over time is limited. To determine, (1) the agreement between the standard measurements of MS-related disability [expanded disability status scale (EDSS), functional systems (FS) and ambulation index (AI)] obtained by conventional and remote evaluation using a multimedia platform; (2) the usefulness of monitoring 6-min walk test (6MWT) and average daily walking activity (aDWA) to better characterize patients disability. Twenty-five patients (EDSS score 1.0–6.5) were evaluated every 3 months for the first year, and aDWA repeated at year 2. Remote visits included the recording of a video with self-performed neurological examination and specific multimedia questionnaires. aDWA was measured by a triaxial accelerometer. All but two patients completed the study. Modest agreement between conventional and multimedia EDSS was found for EDSS ≤ 4.0 (kappa = 0.2) and good for EDSS ≥ 4.5 (kappa = 0.6). For the overall sample, pyramidal, cerebellar and brainstem FS showed the greatest agreement (kappa = 0.7). SR-AI showed a modest agreement for EDSS ≤ 4.0 and good for EDSS ≥ 4.5 (kappa = 0.3 and 0.6, respectively). There was a strong correlation between conventional and 6MWT measured by accelerometer (r = 0.76). The aDWA correlated strongly with the EDSS (r = −0.86) and a cut-off point of 3279.3 steps/day discriminated patients with ambulatory impairment. There was a significant decline in aDWA over 2 years in patients with ambulatory impairment that were not observed by standard measurements of disability. MS clinical monitoring by telemedicine is feasible, but the observed lower agreement in less disabled patients emphasizes the need to optimize the assessment methodology. Accelerometers capture changes that may indicate deterioration over time.

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Acknowledgments

Núria Solà-Valls received an award from Hospital Clínic of Barcelona in 2012 (Emili Letang award). The authors thank the “Associació Esclerosi Múltiple Illa de Menorca” for their contribution in the study, Montserrat Artola for her excellent technical support and Erika Lampert for her help in English and linguistic corrections. We also want to express our gratitude to all patients who freely accepted to participate in this study.

Conflicts of interest

Núria Sola-Valls, Yolanda Blanco, Maria Sepúlveda, Sara Llufriu, Elena H Martínez-Lapiscina, Delon La Puma and Francesc Graus declare that there is no conflict of interest. Pablo Villoslada has received consultation fees from Roche, Novartis, Neurotech Pharma and is founder and hold stocks of Bionure Farma. Albert Saiz has received compensation for consulting services and speaking from Bayer-Schering, Merck-Serono, Biogen-Idec, Sanofi-Aventis, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd and Novartis.

Ethical standards

All participants provided their written informed consent prior to their inclusion in the study. This clinical study was approved by the ethical committee of the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona and therefore performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service of Neurology, Hospital Clínic and Institut d´Investigació Biomèdica August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Center of Neuroimmunology, Universitat de Barcelona, Villarroel 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain

    Núria Sola-Valls, Yolanda Blanco, Maria Sepúlveda, Sara Llufriu, Elena H. Martínez-Lapiscina, Delon La Puma, Francesc Graus, Pablo Villoslada & Albert Saiz

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  1. Núria Sola-Valls
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  2. Yolanda Blanco
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  3. Maria Sepúlveda
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  4. Sara Llufriu
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  7. Francesc Graus
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  8. Pablo Villoslada
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  9. Albert Saiz
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Correspondence to Yolanda Blanco.

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Sola-Valls, N., Blanco, Y., Sepúlveda, M. et al. Walking function in clinical monitoring of multiple sclerosis by telemedicine. J Neurol 262, 1706–1713 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-015-7764-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-015-7764-x

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