The clinical correlates of the chair sit to stand performance in people with multiple sclerosis

ABSTRACT

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the motor and non-motor factors associated with sit-to-stand performance in people with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS).

Design

Observational cross-sectional study.

Subjects

A total of 88 individuals with MS participated in this study.

Main Measures

Standing performance was measured using the five-times-sit-to-stand test (FTSTS). The Berg Balance Scale to assess balance, the 10-Meter Walking Test (10-MWT) was used to assess walking speed; the Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) was used to assess disability level. Furthermore, Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS) was used to assess cognitive status, Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS) to assess depression and anxiety, and the Modified Fatigue Impact scale (MFIS) to evaluate fatigue. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between all these variables and the FTSTS. Furthermore, multiple linear regression was conducted to determine predictive factors of the FTSTS.

Results

FTSTS score was correlated significantly with BBS, PDDS, BICAMS, 10-MWT and MFIS (r ranged from 0.3 to 0.52; P < .05). However, there was no significant correlation observed between the FTSTS and HADS-depression or HADS-anxiety. Considering the multiple regression analysis, the following factors were significantly predictive of the FTSTS: 10-MWT, MFIS and the BICAMS-z score (R²: 0.433, P < .0001).

Conclusion

The study concludes that sit to stand is multifactorial and is potentially associated with walking speed, cognitive function and fatigue. These factors should be considered by healthcare professionals in interpreting the sit-to-stand performance of PwMS and in designing rehabilitation interventions.

KEYWORDS:

• Multiple sclerosis
• five times sit to stand
• cognitive status
• anxiety
• fatigue

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge all the participants of the study. Acknowledgment for funding support is to Jordan University of Science and Technology (Grant number HK-20170158).

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Jordan University of Science and Technology [HK-20170158].