Randomized controlled trial of the behavioral intervention for increasing physical activity in multiple sclerosis...

We undertook a randomized controlled trial (RCT) that investigated the effectiveness of a theory-based, Internet-delivered, behavioral intervention focusing on physical activity promotion for immediate and sustained improvements in secondary, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of function, symptoms, and quality of life (QOL) in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Persons with MS (N = 318) were recruited from throughout the United States and randomized into behavioral intervention (n = 159) or attention/social contact control (n = 159) conditions. The conditions were administered over a 6-month period by persons who were uninvolved in screening, recruitment, random assignment, and outcome assessment. There was a 6-month follow-up period without intervention access/content. We collected PROs data every 6 months over the 12-month period. The PROs included validated measures of walking and cognitive function, symptoms of fatigue, depression, anxiety, pain, and sleep quality, and QOL. The data analysis involved a modified intent-to-treat approach using a linear mixed model in JMP Pro 16.0.

There was a significant group by time interaction on Fatigue Severity Scale scores (p < .01) and physical subscale scores of the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (p < .05). Scores on both measures decreased immediately after the 6-month period in the behavioral intervention compared with no change in the control condition, and this differential pattern of change was sustained over the 6-month follow-up. There were no group by time interactions on the other PROs.

This study provides evidence for the effectiveness of a novel, widely scalable approach for physical activity promotion and fatigue management in persons with MS, yet this must be contextualized with the absence of improvements in the other PROs.