Functional electrical stimulation as a component of activity-based restorative therapy may preserve function in persons with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

ObjectiveTo examine the effect of functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling on disability progression in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS).DesignRetrospective cohort, 40 participants with mean follow-up of 15 months.SettingInternational Center for Spinal Cord Injury at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, a rehabilitation referral center.ParticipantsForty consecutive persons with MS undergoing rehabilitation from 2007 to 2011, with at least two evaluations based on the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI).InterventionsFES cycling as part of activity-based restorative therapy interventions.Outcome measuresChange in Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and ISNCSCI motor, light touch, and pin prick scores from baseline to latest evaluation.ResultsIn 71% of patients, activity-based rehabilitation included FES cycling. There was no disability progression on the EDSS. Lower extremity motor scores improved or stabilized in 75% of patients with primary progressive MS (PPMS), 71.4% with secondary progressive MS (SPMS), and 54.5% with relapsing remitting MS (RRMS). Among patients with improved or stabilized lower extremity motor function, PPMS recorded a mean 9% improvement, SPMS 3% and RRMS 6%. In PPMS, use of FES showed trend towards improvement in motor scores (P = 0.070).ConclusionsFES as part of activity-based rehabilitation may help preserve or improve neurological function in patients with MS.