Cardiorespiratory fitness and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in older adults with multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND

Cardiorespiratory fitness (VO) may be a modifiable indicator of health status and well-being in older adults with multiple sclerosis.

PURPOSE

We examined differences in VO and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity between older adults with multiple sclerosis and healthy controls, and whether moderate-to-vigorous physical activity accounted for group differences in VO.

METHODS

Older adults with multiple sclerosis ( = 31) and healthy controls ( = 29) completed a cardiopulmonary exercise test and wore an accelerometer for measuring moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The data were analyzed using the Baron and Kenny approach for examining moderate-to-vigorous physical activity as a mediator of group differences in VO.

RESULTS

The multiple sclerosis group had significantly lower VO and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity than healthy controls. VO had a large correlation with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ( = .59). Group initially explained 8% of the variance in VO (  =  -0.29). The inclusion of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity accounted for an additional 27% of the variance in VO, but only moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (  =  0.57) was a statistically significant correlate of VO. The effect of Group was attenuated and non-significant with the addition of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in Step 2 (Group β Step 1  =  -0.29, Group β Step 2  =  -0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results provide initial support for targeting moderate-to-vigorous physical activity as an approach for improving VO in older adults with multiple sclerosis.