Table 1.
Study participants’ characteristics.
| Characteristics | Study participants (n=45) | Less active study participants (<10,000 steps/d; n=33) | Active study participants (≥10,000 steps/d; n=12) | ||||
| Baseline demographics | |||||||
|
|
Sex , n (%) | ||||||
|
|
|
Female | 29 (64) | 21 (64) | 8 (67) | ||
|
|
|
Male | 16 (36) | 12 (36) | 4 (33) | ||
|
|
Age (y), median (IQR) | 46 (40-51) | 48 (43-53) | 44 (40-46) | |||
|
|
Nationalitya, n (%) | ||||||
|
|
|
Swiss | 34 (76) | 25 (76) | 9 (75) | ||
|
|
|
German | 6 (13) | 5 (15) | 1 (8) | ||
|
|
|
Italian | 2 (4) | 1 (3) | 1 (8) | ||
|
|
|
Other | 3 (7) | 2 (6) | 1 (8) | ||
|
|
Marital status, n (%) | ||||||
|
|
|
Single | 12 (27) | 10 (30) | 2 (17) | ||
|
|
|
Married | 23 (51) | 17 (52) | 6 (50) | ||
|
|
|
Separated | 1 (2) | 1 (3) | N/Ab | ||
|
|
|
Divorced | 7 (16) | 4 (12) | 3 (25) | ||
|
|
|
Widowed | 2 (4) | 1 (3) | 1 (8) | ||
|
|
Education, n (%) | ||||||
|
|
|
Mandatory school not completed (or up to and including grade 7) | 2 (4) | 2 (6) | N/A | ||
|
|
|
Apprenticeship or secondary education completed (ie, matura schools or intermediate diploma schools) | 25 (56) | 18 (55) | 7 (58) | ||
|
|
|
Higher professional education, universities of applied sciences, or university completed | 18 (40) | 13 (39) | 5 (42) | ||
|
|
Employment status, n (%) | ||||||
|
|
|
Working full time | 5 (11) | 4 (12) | 1 (8) | ||
|
|
|
Working >50% but <100% | 5 (11) | 4 (12) | 1 (8) | ||
|
|
|
Working ≤50% | 17 (38) | 12 (36) | 5 (42) | ||
|
|
|
Not working | 18 (40) | 13 (39) | 5 (42) | ||
| Baseline health information | |||||||
|
|
Multiple sclerosis type, n (%) | ||||||
|
|
|
Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis | 18 (40) | 11 (33) | 7 (58) | ||
|
|
|
Primary-progressive multiple sclerosis | 8 (18) | 5 (15) | 3 (25) | ||
|
|
|
Secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis | 19 (42) | 17 (52) | 2 (17) | ||
|
|
Multiple sclerosis duration (y), median (IQR) | 11 (5-21) | 14 (5-23) | 10 (3-12) | |||
|
|
Expanded Disability Status Scale score, median (IQR) | 4.5 (3.5-6) | 5 (3.5-6) | 3.75 (2.9-4) | |||
|
|
Expanded Disability Status Scale score, n (%) | ||||||
|
|
|
0-3.5 | 15 (33) | 9 (27) | 6 (50) | ||
|
|
|
4-5.5 | 18 (40) | 13 (39) | 5 (42) | ||
|
|
|
≥6 | 12 (27) | 11 (33) | 1 (8) | ||
|
|
Time since last relapse (y) | ||||||
|
|
|
Value, median (IQR) | 3 (1-5) | 3 (1-6) | 2 (1.5-4) | ||
|
|
|
Missing information, n (%) | 8 (18) | 7 (16) | 1 (2) | ||
|
|
BMI (kg/m2), median (IQR) | 24 (21-28) | 23 (21-26) | 27 (21-30.8) | |||
|
|
BMI (kg/m2), n (%) | ||||||
|
|
|
<18.5 (underweight) | 5 (11) | 4 (12) | 1 (8) | ||
|
|
|
18.5-24.9 (healthy weight) | 22 (49) | 18 (55) | 4 (33) | ||
|
|
|
25.0-29.9 (overweight) | 10 (22) | 7 (21) | 3 (25) | ||
|
|
|
≥30.0 (obesity) | 8 (18) | 4 (12) | 4 (33) | ||
|
|
Comorbiditiesa, n (%) | ||||||
|
|
|
None | 18 (40) | 13 (39) | 5 (42) | ||
|
|
|
Hypertension | 5 (11) | 5 (15) | 0 (0) | ||
|
|
|
Depression | 5 (11) | 5 (15) | 0 (0) | ||
|
|
|
Skin diseases (eg, acne) | 4 (9) | 3 (9) | 1 (8) | ||
|
|
|
Orthopedic diseases (eg, joint or back pain) | 4 (9) | 4 (12) | 0 (0) | ||
|
|
|
Type 2 diabetes | 3 (7) | 2 (6) | 1 (8) | ||
|
|
|
Migraine | 2 (4) | N/A | 2 (17) | ||
|
|
|
Hypothyroidism | 2 (4) | 1 (3) | 1 (8) | ||
|
|
|
Otherc | 9 (20) | 7 (21) | 2 (17) | ||
|
|
Change in the amount of sport practiced after the multiple sclerosis diagnosis, n (%) | ||||||
|
|
|
Less | 27 (60) | 21 (64) | 6 (50) | ||
|
|
|
Same amount | 2 (4) | 1 (3) | 1 (8) | ||
|
|
|
More | 15 (33) | 10 (30) | 5 (42) | ||
|
|
|
Missing information | 1 (2) | 1 (3) | N/A | ||
|
|
Time spent at the rehabilitation clinic (d), median (IQR) | 22 (18-26) | 22 (18-26) | 22 (19-24) | |||
|
|
Barriers to Health Promoting Activities for Disabled Persons scale score at analysis baseline (ie, at the end of the rehabilitation stay; range 18-72; the higher the score, the more barriers to physical activity), median (IQR) | 20 (19-21) | 20 (19-22) | 20 (19-21) | |||
| End-of-study assessments | |||||||
|
|
Barriers to Health Promoting Activities for Disabled Persons scale score (range 18-72; the higher the score, the more barriers to physical activity), median (IQR) | 28 (24-35) | 30 (24-35) | 26 (25-28) | |||
|
|
12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale score (range 0-100; the higher the score, the lower the walking ability) | ||||||
|
|
|
Value, median (IQR) | 45.8 (29.2-79.2) | 62.5 (35.4-85.4) | 28.1 (16.1-29.2) | ||
|
|
|
Missing information, n (%) | 6 (13) | 4 (9) | 2 (4) | ||
|
|
Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions score (range 20-100; the higher the score, the more the fatigue), n (%) | ||||||
|
|
|
<43 (no fatigue) | 9 (20) | 7 (21) | 2 (17) | ||
|
|
|
43-52 (mild fatigue) | 6 (13) | 5 (15) | 1 (8) | ||
|
|
|
53-62 (moderate fatigue) | 8 (18) | 5 (15) | 3 (25) | ||
|
|
|
≥63 (severe fatigue) | 15 (33) | 12 (36) | 3 (25) | ||
|
|
|
Missing information | 7 (16) | 4 (12) | 3 (25) | ||
|
|
Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions–cognitive fatigue score (range 10-50; the higher the score, the more the fatigue), n (%) | ||||||
|
|
|
<22 (no cognitive fatigue) | 17 (38) | 14 (42) | 3 (25) | ||
|
|
|
22-27 (mild cognitive fatigue) | 6 (13) | 4 (12) | 2 (17) | ||
|
|
|
28-33 (moderate cognitive fatigue) | 8 (18) | 4 (12) | 4 (33) | ||
|
|
|
≥34 (severe cognitive fatigue) | 9 (20) | 8 (24) | 1 (8) | ||
|
|
|
Missing information | 5 (11) | 3 (9) | 2 (17) | ||
|
|
Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions–motor fatigue score (range 10-50; the higher the score, the more the fatigue), n (%) | ||||||
|
|
|
<22 (no motor fatigue) | 6 (13) | 5 (15) | 1 (8) | ||
|
|
|
22-26 (mild motor fatigue) | 4 (9) | 2 (6) | 2 (17) | ||
|
|
|
27-31 (moderate motor fatigue) | 9 (20) | 6 (18) | 3 (25) | ||
|
|
|
≥32 (severe motor fatigue) | 22 (49) | 18 (55) | 4 (33) | ||
|
|
|
Missing information | 4 (9) | 2 (6) | 2 (17) | ||
|
|
General Self-Efficacy Scale score (range 10-40; the higher the score, the more the self-efficacy), median (IQR) | 32 (30-36) | 32 (29-36) | 31 (30-36) | |||
|
|
8-item Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale score (range 0-24; the higher the score, the more the depression signs), n (%) | ||||||
|
|
|
<10 (not clinically significant depression) | 35 (78) | 23 (70) | 12 (100) | ||
|
|
|
≥10 (clinically significant depression) | 7 (16) | 7 (21) | 0 (0) | ||
|
|
|
Missing information | 3 (7) | 3 (9) | 0 (0) | ||
|
|
EQ-5D-5L score, weighted by the French values set (range 0-100; the higher the score, the better the quality of life) | ||||||
|
|
|
Value, median (IQR) | 63.5 (45.6-78.8) | 63 (39.9-74.0) | 78.3 (63.4-87.6) | ||
|
|
|
Missing information, n (%) | 2 (4) | 2 (6) | 0 (0) | ||
|
|
“How bad was your pain when it was at its worst during the last 7 days?” (visual analog scale; range 0-10; the higher the score, the greater the pain), median (IQR) | 3 (0-6) | 3 (0-7) | 3 (1-4) | |||
aMultiple answers possible.
bN/A: not applicable.
cAsthma, type 1 diabetes, osteoporosis, psoriasis, cancer, rheumatic diseases, elevated cholesterol level, colitis ulcerosa, fibromyalgia, shingles, Meniere disease, and cerebellar syndrome.