THERMOSENSELAB, School of Design and Creative Arts, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK.
School of Design and Creative Arts, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK.
Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2022 Nov;67:104075. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2022.104075. Epub 2022 Jul 25.
The negative effects of heat and cold on Multiple Sclerosis (MS) have been known for ∼100 years. Yet, we lack patient-centred investigations on temperature sensitivity in persons with MS (pwMS).
To evaluate triggers, symptoms, and thermal resilience practices of temperature sensitivity pwMS via a dedicated survey.
757 pwMS completed an online survey assessing the subjective experience of temperature sensitivity. We performed descriptive statistics and regression analyses to evaluate association between individual factors and susceptibility/resilience to thermal stress.
Temperature sensitivity varied significantly in pwMS, with 58% of participants being heat sensitive only; 29% heat and cold sensitive; and 13% cold sensitive only (p<0.001). Yet, all pwMS: i) experienced hot and cold days as primary triggers; ii) reported fatigue as the most common worsening symptom, impacting walking and concentration; iii) used air conditioning and changes in clothing insulation as primary thermal resilience practices. Furthermore, certain individual factors (i.e. age, level of motor disability, experience of fatigue) were predictive of greater susceptibility to certain triggers (e.g. hot days) and symptoms (e.g. fatigue).
Patient-centred evidence on the impact of and response to temperature sensitivity could play an important role in the development of individualised healthcare plans for temperature-sensitive pwMS.
人们大约在 100 年前就已经了解到热和冷对多发性硬化症（MS）的负面影响。然而，我们缺乏针对多发性硬化症患者（pwMS）对温度敏感性的以患者为中心的调查。
通过专门的调查评估多发性硬化症患者对温度敏感的诱因、症状和热适应实践。
757 名多发性硬化症患者完成了一项在线调查，评估他们对温度敏感性的主观体验。我们进行了描述性统计和回归分析，以评估个体因素与对热应激的易感性/适应性之间的关联。
多发性硬化症患者的温度敏感性差异很大，其中 58%的参与者仅对热敏感；29%的参与者对热和冷敏感；13%的参与者仅对冷敏感（p<0.001）。然而，所有多发性硬化症患者：i）都将炎热和寒冷的天气视为主要诱因；ii）报告疲劳是最常见的恶化症状，影响行走和注意力；iii）使用空调和改变衣物绝缘作为主要的热适应实践。此外，某些个体因素（如年龄、运动残疾程度、疲劳经历）可预测对某些诱因（如炎热天气）和症状（如疲劳）的易感性。
以患者为中心的关于温度敏感性的影响和反应的证据可以在为温度敏感的多发性硬化症患者制定个体化医疗保健计划方面发挥重要作用。
