The significant change for the Timed 25-foot Walk in the multiple sclerosis functional composite

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Clinical Assessment
• Gait Analysis

Background:

• The Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25FW) is being evaluated as a clinical tool for monitoring patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
• Defining a clinically significant change in T25FW measurements is crucial for effective patient management.
• Understanding expected T25FW values and variability is essential for its clinical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the range of expected values for the Timed 25-Foot Walk in MS patients.
• To prospectively correlate changes in T25FW with MS exacerbations and subjective walking difficulties.
• To identify a threshold for significant change in T25FW.

Main Methods:

• Assessed T25FW in patients with varying degrees of MS.
• Measured walk-time variability over three consecutive trials.
• Correlated T25FW changes with clinical status and patient-reported walking difficulties.
• Analyzed T25FW in stable individuals over 12 months.

Main Results:

• Minimally affected MS patients typically walk 25 feet in 3-5 seconds.
• Walk-time variability over three trials was generally ≤20%, and ≤10% when comparing the two fastest trials.
• For stable MS patients, T25FW typically varied by <20% over 12 months.
• Patients reporting walking difficulty, even without objective examination findings, showed prolonged walk times.

Conclusions:

• An increase exceeding 20% in the Timed 25-Foot Walk may indicate a significant change in gait for MS patients.
• The T25FW demonstrates potential as a sensitive tool for detecting gait changes in MS.
• Establishing normative data and variability ranges enhances the T25FW's utility in MS clinical practice.