| Methods |
RCT. Random assignment to the exercise training (EX) or the non exercise (NEX) group |
| Participants |
N= 26: EX=13, NEX =13
Inclusion criteria: Diagnosis of clinically definite MS (Poser 1983), able to pedal on a free standing bicycle ergometer
Exclusion criteria: History of cardiovascular, respiratory, orthopaedic or metabolic diseases or other medical conditions, acute exacerbations of MS during at least two previous months
Type MS: Relapsing‐remitting, chronic‐progressive or relapsing‐progressive MS
Disease duration (yr) ± SD (range): EX: 11.2 ± 8.5 (2‐27), NEX: 12.6 ± 8.1 (2‐25)
Mean age (yr) ± SD (range): EX: 45.23 ± 8.66, NEX: 43.92 ± 13.90
% female: EX: 76.9, NEX: 84.6
Mean EDSS‐score ± SD: EX: 4.6 ± 1.2 (2.5 ‐ 6.5), NEX: 4.5 ± 1.9 (1 ‐ 6.5) |
| Interventions |
Inpatient bicycle exercise training with individualised intensity For a period of 4 weeks, 5x30‐min training sessions a week
Controls: Normal inpatient physiotherapy of the rehabilitation programme. |
| Outcomes |
Kurtzke's FS, Kurtzke's EDSS, BAECKE ‐Activity Questionnaire, SF‐36, FSS and maximal aerobic capacity Assessment at baseline and after 4 weeks |
| Notes |
Drop outs: 12: 2 subjects quit due to motivational problems, 2 subjects were excluded due to elevated spasticity, 2 subjects were excluded because of significant ST segment change in the exercise ECG, 3 subjects decided to quit directly after random assignment to the exercise group and 3 subjects were excluded due to symptom exacerbations
The study mentioned 11 dropouts instead of 12. Number of subjects in each group is 13, while in table 2 the number of subjects in the exercise groups is 12 |
