Contributions
Abstract: EP1413
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - Clinical assessment tools
Background: Over 80% of people with relapsing-remitting or non-progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) transition into progressive multiple sclerosis, but the triggers for this transition in subtypes are unclear, and the diagnosis is made retrospectively. Therefore, there is a need to identify clinical measures that can distinguish non-progressive MS from progressive MS. Rapid successive movements such as tapping are useful markers of central motor function as they require intact corticospinal and cerebellar control. Prior research has shown that foot tapping speed is slowed in MS and other central nervous system disorders.
Objective: We investigated whether rapid hand- or foot-tapping ability can distinguish progressive and non-progressive MS subtypes.
Methods: 31 people with non-progressive MS and with 31 people with progressive MS, as well as 31 age-matched non-MS controls participated in this study. Participants wore extrinsic inertial sensors that measured angular velocity on the foot and the hand. Participants were instructed to tap as fast as possible for 10 seconds. Taps were identified as ascending zero-crossings of angular velocity using a custom MATLAB program. We obtained the average tap count across 6 trials for the right and left extremity for both the foot and the hand.
Results: Average foot tap count was significantly greater in controls than in non-progressive MS (p< 0.001, 95% confidence interval (CI) for difference in means =[4.9, 13.1]) and in progressive MS (p< 0.001, CI=[12.6, 19.4]). In addition, average foot tap count was significantly greater in non-progressive MS than in progressive MS (p=0.0038, CI=[2.4, 11.6]). The average hand tapping count was significantly greater in controls than in non-progressive MS (p< 0.001, CI=[3.9, 11.9]) and in progressive MS (p< 0.001, CI=[5.7, 13.5]), but did not differ between the non-progressive and progressive MS-subtypes (p=0.4889, CI=[-3.2, 6.7]).
Conclusions: Average foot tap counts can be used to distinguish between controls and MS groups, as well as between MS subtypes. In contrast, while hand-tapping speed was slower in both MS groups compared to controls, this task did not distinguish the MS subtypes. These results suggest that rapid motor coordination may be affected differently in the upper and lower extremities in MS, and that foot-tapping may be better suited to differentiate between MS subtypes and potentially a useful tool in studies designed to track progression of motor function in MS.
Disclosure: Supported by Department of Defense Research Grant W81XWH-16-1-0351
Abstract: EP1413
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - Clinical assessment tools
Background: Over 80% of people with relapsing-remitting or non-progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) transition into progressive multiple sclerosis, but the triggers for this transition in subtypes are unclear, and the diagnosis is made retrospectively. Therefore, there is a need to identify clinical measures that can distinguish non-progressive MS from progressive MS. Rapid successive movements such as tapping are useful markers of central motor function as they require intact corticospinal and cerebellar control. Prior research has shown that foot tapping speed is slowed in MS and other central nervous system disorders.
Objective: We investigated whether rapid hand- or foot-tapping ability can distinguish progressive and non-progressive MS subtypes.
Methods: 31 people with non-progressive MS and with 31 people with progressive MS, as well as 31 age-matched non-MS controls participated in this study. Participants wore extrinsic inertial sensors that measured angular velocity on the foot and the hand. Participants were instructed to tap as fast as possible for 10 seconds. Taps were identified as ascending zero-crossings of angular velocity using a custom MATLAB program. We obtained the average tap count across 6 trials for the right and left extremity for both the foot and the hand.
Results: Average foot tap count was significantly greater in controls than in non-progressive MS (p< 0.001, 95% confidence interval (CI) for difference in means =[4.9, 13.1]) and in progressive MS (p< 0.001, CI=[12.6, 19.4]). In addition, average foot tap count was significantly greater in non-progressive MS than in progressive MS (p=0.0038, CI=[2.4, 11.6]). The average hand tapping count was significantly greater in controls than in non-progressive MS (p< 0.001, CI=[3.9, 11.9]) and in progressive MS (p< 0.001, CI=[5.7, 13.5]), but did not differ between the non-progressive and progressive MS-subtypes (p=0.4889, CI=[-3.2, 6.7]).
Conclusions: Average foot tap counts can be used to distinguish between controls and MS groups, as well as between MS subtypes. In contrast, while hand-tapping speed was slower in both MS groups compared to controls, this task did not distinguish the MS subtypes. These results suggest that rapid motor coordination may be affected differently in the upper and lower extremities in MS, and that foot-tapping may be better suited to differentiate between MS subtypes and potentially a useful tool in studies designed to track progression of motor function in MS.
Disclosure: Supported by Department of Defense Research Grant W81XWH-16-1-0351