mSteps Application Analysis in Multiple Sclerosis v1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An analysis of the accurate measure of distance walked using a smart phone and the mSteps application, in Multiple Sclerosis – an observational cohort pilot study
IRAS ID
256151
Contact name
Jeremy Chataway
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
UCL Data Protection, Z6364106/2019/04/28; Research Registry, researchregistry4822
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) affects the central nervous system and this commonly leads to mobility impairment. Assessments of new treatments in MS clinical trials necessitates effective and reliable measures of disability and disease progression. MS researchers utilise specific assessment tools such as the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) to measure and monitor disability. These assessments require the accurate measurement of walking distance and time. The ease and accuracy of measurement could be greatly improved by the utilisation of electronic devices.
Mobile devices have the potential to continuously monitor health by collecting movement data, including walking speed during natural walking. Natural walking is walking without artificial speed constraints that are present in nurse assisted walking and treadmills. Popular fitness trackers record steps taken and distance travelled over time, typically using a fixed stride length. While useful for everyday purposes, medical monitoring requires greater accuracy.
People with Secondary Progressive MS (SPMS) often experience increasing disability with increasing gait disturbances. Our aim is to determine the accuracy and efficiency of using a smart phone application to measure distance walked and the time taken to do this, to help inform future walking assessment design.
The mSteps smart phone application measures time taken to do the walking assessment and the distance walked. For the purpose of the assessment the participant will be asked to walk along a corridor, for as long as they comfortably can. If the participant is already participating in a study that measures walking distance as part of another assessment, we will utilise this opportunity for mSteps so there is no additional burden to them.
REC name
London - South East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/0894
Date of REC Opinion
22 May 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion