MS Trial Alert
People with MS in Seven States Being Recruited for Study of Teleconference Intervention to Increase Exercise and Decrease Fatigue
April 7, 2015
Summary: Investigators at Case Western Reserve University are recruiting 215 people from seven states (see list below) for a study to determine whether methods of fatigue management and increasing physical activity that are often provided by rehabilitation centers can be distributed with a series of teleconferences and phone interviews. Matthew Plow, PhD, the primary investigator, is funded by a research grant from the National MS Society.
Rationale: Many people with MS describe fatigue as one of their most disabling symptoms. MS fatigue can be chronic, severe, and it often interferes with the ability to maintain employment or engage in leisure activities. The reduced physical activity that results from MS fatigue can lower physical conditioning. This can lead to higher than normal levels of fatigue from normal activities of daily living, setting up a "vicious cycle" in which fatigue and physical inactivity enhance each other.
In this research project, Matthew Plow, PhD, is conducting a randomized controlled trial to see whether methods of fatigue management and increasing physical activity that are often provided by physical therapists and/or occupational therapist at medical rehabilitation centers can be distributed with a series of teleconferences and phone interviews.
Eligibility and Details: Participants should be ages 18 to 65, with a diagnosis of MS and the ability to walk 25 feet with or without a cane. Among those excluded are people who exercise more than 90 minutes per week, are pregnant, have metabolic or cardiopulmonary disease that puts them at high risk for engaging in a home exercise program, or have had four or more falls in the past 6 months. Further details on inclusion and exclusion criteria are available from the contact below.
Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups receiving support through weekly phone conferences: an educational program that combines fatigue management with physical activity promotion; a physical activity promotion program alone; or an educational social support group.
The primary outcomes being measured are changes in physical activity levels over 24 weeks, and secondary outcomes include fatigue levels and quality of life.
Contact: To learn more about the enrollment criteria for this study, and to find out if you are eligible to participate, please contact Arielle Tucker, MS, 216-368-0510, arielle.tucker@UHhospitals.org. The Case Western Reserve University is enrolling participants from the following states:
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Michigan
Ohio
Pennsylvania
West Virginia
Without participants in research studies, MS research would come to a standstill. Read more here.