Comparative Effectiveness Study Telerehab Versus Conventional

The Timed 25 Foot Walk Test (T25FWT) is a measure of walking speed. Individuals are instructed to walk 25 feet as quickly and safely as possible from one marked end to the other.

Higher walking speed (feet per second) indicate improved walking function.

The six minute walk test (6MWT) assesses walking endurance and aerobic capacity. The score is the distance walked in 6 minutes. Higher scores (more distance walked in feet) indicate improved walking capacity.

The MSWS-12 is a self-reported measure of the impact of multiple sclerosis (MS) on walking ability and daily activities over the past two weeks. Items are scored from 1-5, with 1 meaning no limitation and 5 meaning extreme limitation.

Scores are calculated by first adding the responses, and getting a total score of 12 - 60. This score is then transformed to a 0 - 100 scale (Nilsagard et al, 2007) by subtracting 12 from the sum, dividing by 48, and then multiplying by 100.

Higher scores indicate a greater impact of MS on walking than lower scores.

The Godin LTPA is a 4-item, self-administered questionnaire assessing leisure-time physical activity. 3 questions ask how many times the individual participated in mild/light (e.g. yoga, easy walking), moderate (e.g. tennis, fast walking), and/or strenuous (e.g. running, basketball) activities in the past 7 days. The 4th question asks how often in a typical 7-day period the individual participates in an activity long enough to break a sweat (often, sometimes, or never/rarely).

More strenuous activities are more heavily weighted. Total leisure activity score is calculated by multiplying the number of strenuous activities by 9, the number of moderate activities by 5, and the number of mild activities by 3, and then adding those scores together.

A higher score means that the individual participates in more and/or more vigorous leisure-time physical activity. 24 units or more = active; 14-23 units = moderately active; < 14 units = sedentary.

Domains (anxiety, depression, fatigue, upper extremity function, lower extremity function, cognitive function, emotional and behavioral dyscontrol, sleep disturbance, ability to participate in social roles and activities, satisfaction with social roles and activities, stigma) - possible score of 8-40. Positive affect domain has possible score of 9-45. Communication domain has possible score of 5-25. No clinical thresholds established. Higher scores indicate WORSE self-reported health for Anxiety, Depression, Fatigue, Emotional and Behavioral Dyscontrol, Sleep Disturbance, Stigma. Higher scores indicate BETTER self-reported health for Upper Extremity Function, Lower Extremity Function, Cognitive Function, Positive Affect & Well-Being, Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities, Satisfaction with Social Roles & Activities, Communication.

The MSIS measures individual's views on the impact of MS on day-to-day life during the past two weeks. It is comprised of two subscales: a 20-item physical impact scale and a 9-item psychological impact scale. The MSIS has no combined total score. Scores on the physical impact scale can range from 20 to 80 and on the psychological impact scale from 9 to 36.

Lower scores indicate little impact of MS, and higher scores indicate a higher impact of MS (on either physical or psychological functioning).

The MFIS is a 21-item questionnaire that measures the impact of fatigue on the participant's activities and lifestyle over the past four weeks. Items on the MFIS can be broken into three subscales (physical, cognitive, and psychosocial), as well as into a total MFIS score. The physical subscale score can range from 0 to 36. The cognitive subscale score can range from 0 to 40. The psychosocial subscale score can range from 0 to 8. The total MFIS score is the sum total of all three subscales, and can range from 0 to 84.

Higher scores indicate a greater impact of fatigue on a person's activities.

The EDSS is an ordinal clinical rating scale ranging from 0 (normal neurologic examination) to 10 (death due to MS) in half-point increments. It characterizes disability level and determines disability progression in people with MS. Higher scores reflect greater disability due to MS.

The PDDS is a patient-reported outcome of disability in MS. The scale focuses mainly on how well individuals with MS walk. Scores range from 0 (normal function) to 8 (bedridden). Higher scores reflect greater disability due to MS.