Marie D'hooghe1, Geert Van Gassen2, Daphne Kos3, Olivier Bouquiaux4, Melissa Cambron5, Danny Decoo6, Andreas Lysandropoulos7, Bart Van Wijmeersch8, Barbara Willekens9, Iris-Katharina Penner10, Guy Nagels11. 1. National MS Center, Neurology, Vanheylenstraat 16, Melsbroek and Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Center for Neurosciences, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussel, Belgium. Electronic address: marie.dhooghe@mscenter.be. 2. Teva Pharma Belgium NV, Medical Department, Laarstraat 16, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium. Electronic address: geert.vangassen@tevabelgium.be. 3. KU Leuven, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Tervuursevest 101, postbox 1501 - Gebouw De Nayer, Room 02.58 3001 Leuven, Belgium; AP University College Antwerp, Occupational Therapy, Campus Spoor Noord, Noorderplaats 2, B 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium. Electronic address: daphne.kos@kuleuven.be. 4. Centre Neurologique et de Readaptation Fonctionelle, Neurologie, Champ des Alouettes 30, 4557 Fraiture, Belgium. Electronic address: bouquiauxoli@me.com. 5. Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Neurology, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussel, Belgium. Electronic address: melissa.cambron@gmail.com. 6. AZ Alma, Neurologie, Ringlaan 15, 9900 Eeklo, Belgium. Electronic address: dannydecoo@me.com. 7. Erasme Hospital, Neurology, Route de Lennik 808, 1070 Bruxelles, Belgium. Electronic address: andreas.lys@hotmail.com. 8. Hasselt University and Translationale Universiteit Limburg, School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Research Institute; Rehabilitation & MS Center, Boemerangstraat 2, 3900 Overpelt, Belgium. Electronic address: bart.vanwijmeersch@uhasselt.be. 9. Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen, Neurology, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650 Edegem, Belgium. Electronic address: Barbara.Willekens@uza.be. 10. Heinrich Heine University, Neurology, Medical Faculty; COGITO Center, Neurocognition and Neuropsychology, Merowingerplatz 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany. Electronic address: ik.penner@cogito-center.com. 11. National MS Center, Neurology, Vanheylenstraat 16, Melsbroek and Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Center for Neurosciences, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussel, Belgium. Electronic address: guy.nagels@mscenter.be.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Fatigue is a frequently occurring, often disabling symptom in MS with no single effective treatment. In current fatigue management interventions, personalized, real-time follow-up is often lacking. The objective of the study is to assess the feasibility of the MS TeleCoach, a novel intervention offering telemonitoring of fatigue and telecoaching of physical activity and energy management in persons with MS (pwMS) over a 12-week period. The goal of the MS TeleCoach, conceived as a combination of monitoring, self-management and motivational messages, is to enhance levels of physical activity thereby improving fatigue in pwMS in an accessible and interactive way, reinforcing self-management of patients. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, open-label feasibility study of the MS TeleCoach in pwMS with Expanded Disability Status Scale ≤ 4 and moderate to severe fatigue as measured by the Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions (FSMC). Following a 2-week run-in period to assess the baseline activity level per patient, the target number of activity counts was gradually increased over the 12-week period through telecoaching. The primary efficacy outcome was change in FSMC total score from baseline to study end. A subset of patients was asked to fill in D-QUEST 2.0, a usability questionnaire, to evaluate the satisfaction with the MS TeleCoach device and the experienced service. RESULTS: Seventy-five patients were recruited from 16 centres in Belgium, of which 57 patients (76%) completed the study. FSMC total score (p = 0.009) and motor and cognitive subscores (p = 0.007 and p = 0.02 respectively) decreased from baseline to week 12, indicating an improvement in fatigue. One third of participants with severe fatigue changed to a lower FSMC category for both FSMC total score and subscores. The post-study evaluation of patient satisfaction showed that the intervention was well accepted and that patients were very satisfied with the quality of the professional services. CONCLUSION: Using MS TeleCoach as a self-management tool in pwMS suffering from mild disability and moderate to severe fatigue appeared to be feasible, both technically and from a content perspective. Its use was associated with improved fatigue levels in the participants who completed the study. The MS Telecoach seems to meet the need for a low-cost, accessible and interactive self-management tool in MS.
BACKGROUND:Fatigue is a frequently occurring, often disabling symptom in MS with no single effective treatment. In current fatigue management interventions, personalized, real-time follow-up is often lacking. The objective of the study is to assess the feasibility of the MS TeleCoach, a novel intervention offering telemonitoring of fatigue and telecoaching of physical activity and energy management in persons with MS (pwMS) over a 12-week period. The goal of the MS TeleCoach, conceived as a combination of monitoring, self-management and motivational messages, is to enhance levels of physical activity thereby improving fatigue in pwMS in an accessible and interactive way, reinforcing self-management of patients. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, open-label feasibility study of the MS TeleCoach in pwMS with Expanded Disability Status Scale ≤ 4 and moderate to severe fatigue as measured by the Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions (FSMC). Following a 2-week run-in period to assess the baseline activity level per patient, the target number of activity counts was gradually increased over the 12-week period through telecoaching. The primary efficacy outcome was change in FSMC total score from baseline to study end. A subset of patients was asked to fill in D-QUEST 2.0, a usability questionnaire, to evaluate the satisfaction with the MS TeleCoach device and the experienced service. RESULTS: Seventy-five patients were recruited from 16 centres in Belgium, of which 57 patients (76%) completed the study. FSMC total score (p = 0.009) and motor and cognitive subscores (p = 0.007 and p = 0.02 respectively) decreased from baseline to week 12, indicating an improvement in fatigue. One third of participants with severe fatigue changed to a lower FSMC category for both FSMC total score and subscores. The post-study evaluation of patient satisfaction showed that the intervention was well accepted and that patients were very satisfied with the quality of the professional services. CONCLUSION: Using MS TeleCoach as a self-management tool in pwMS suffering from mild disability and moderate to severe fatigue appeared to be feasible, both technically and from a content perspective. Its use was associated with improved fatigue levels in the participants who completed the study. The MS Telecoach seems to meet the need for a low-cost, accessible and interactive self-management tool in MS.
Authors: Martina Chirra; Luca Marsili; Linsdey Wattley; Leonard L Sokol; Elizabeth Keeling; Simona Maule; Gabriele Sobrero; Carlo Alberto Artusi; Alberto Romagnolo; Maurizio Zibetti; Leonardo Lopiano; Alberto J Espay; Ahmed Z Obeidat; Aristide Merola Journal: Telemed J E Health Date: 2018-08-23 Impact factor: 3.536
Authors: Duncan R Babbage; Kirsten van Kessel; Juliet Drown; Sarah Thomas; Ann Sezier; Peter Thomas; Paula Kersten Journal: Internet Interv Date: 2019-11-09