This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Albrecht, H Articles by Pöllmann, W Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Albrecht, H Articles by Pöllmann, W Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Day-to-day variability of maximum walking distance in MS patients can mislead to relevant changes in the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS): average walking speed is a more constant parameter

Marianne Strauss Klinik, Milchberg 21, D-82335 Berg-Kempfenhausen, Germany

C Wötzel

Marianne Strauss Klinik, Milchberg 21, D-82335 Berg-Kempfenhausen, Germany

L P Erasmus

Marianne Strauss Klinik, Milchberg 21, D-82335 Berg-Kempfenhausen, Germany

M Kleinpeter

Marianne Strauss Klinik, Milchberg 21, D-82335 Berg-Kempfenhausen, Germany

N König

Marianne Strauss Klinik, Milchberg 21, D-82335 Berg-Kempfenhausen, Germany

W Pöllmann

Marianne Strauss Klinik, Milchberg 21, D-82335 Berg-Kempfenhausen, Germany

In this preliminary study we measured maximum walking distance and walking time on four consecutive days in 29 patients with clinically stable multiple sclerosis (MS). Patients were included in the study if they could achieve a maximum unaided walking distance of 100 up to 500 m. Our results showed a certain day-to-day variability of maximum walking distance, in some cases meaning changes up to 1.5 points in the expanded disability status scale (EDSS), which could be misinterpreted as a progression of the disease. Simultaneous measurements of maximum walking time showed a similar variability, unlike the mean walking speed which turned out to be more stable. Our results therefore suggest that scoring of MS patients should not be based on one single measurement of the maximum walking distance. The more reliable parameter appears to be the mean walking speed.

Key Words: multiple sclerosis • EDSS • walking distance • endurance • walking time • disability

Multiple Sclerosis, Vol. 7, No. 2, 105-109 (2001)
DOI: 10.1177/135245850100700206


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S J Crenshaw, T D Royer, J G Richards, and D J Hudson Gait variability in people with multiple sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis, September 1, 2006; 12(5): 613 - 619. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P Thoumie, D Lamotte, S Cantalloube, M Faucher, and G Amarenco Motor determinants of gait in 100 ambulatory patients with multiple sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis, August 1, 2005; 11(4): 485 - 491. [Abstract] [PDF]

				O.R. Pearson, M.E. Busse, R.W.M. van Deursen, and C.M. Wiles Quantification of walking mobility in neurological disorders QJM, August 1, 2004; 97(8): 463 - 475. [Full Text] [PDF]

				P Thoumie and E Mevellec Relation between walking speed and muscle strength is affected by somatosensory loss in multiple sclerosis J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, September 1, 2002; 73(3): 313 - 315. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. R. Schwid, A. D. Goodman, M. P. McDermott, C. F. Bever, and S. D. Cook Quantitative functional measures in MS: What is a reliable change? Neurology, April 23, 2002; 58(8): 1294 - 1296. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]