The aim of this study is to investigate if rhythmic auditory stimulation can influence walking speed, during a 6MWT in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG).
Background 1. The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is widely used in the clinic to measure treatment efficacy and disease progression in patients with neuromuscular diseases and is found valid and reliable to measure decrease in walking speed. 2. Rhythmic auditory stimulation has repeatedly been shown to improve gait parameters in individuals with neurologic impairment. The aim of this study is to investigate if rhythmic auditory stimulation can influence walking speed, during a 6MWT in patients with myasthenia gravis. Patients with MG are asked to complete two 6MWTs separated by minimum 30 minutes of rest. Before the 6MWTs patient is instructed to walk 60 m as fast as possible, and their steps per minute (SPM) is recorded. When completing the 6MWTs, one of the tests is accompanied by music (m6MWT) with a beat per minute (BPM) corresponding to patients' SPM. The order of the 6MWTs is randomly decided by pre-ordered sealed envelopes.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
48
The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is widely used in the clinic to measure treatment efficacy and disease progression in patients with neuromuscular diseases and is found valid and reliable to measure decrease in walking speed for neuromuscular patients.
Rigshospitalet
Copenhagen, Denmark
6-minute walk test (6MWT)
The distance (meter) and walking speed (meter per seconds) in a 6-minute walk test.
Time frame: 6 minutes
Heart rate
Monitoring of heart rate by a pulse-watch prior, during (average heart rate for 6 minutes) and after the 6MWT. All three measurements are in the same units (beats per minute), and are registered directly from the pulse-watch, which the patient wear during the walk test.
Time frame: 5 minutes
The Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale.
Just after the completed 6MWT patients are asked to score the perceived exertion during walking. The scale is from 6 (no effort at all) to 20 (absolute maximal effort).
Time frame: 2 minutes
Myasthenia gravis composite score (MGC)
The Myasthenia Gravis composite score (MGC) covers 10 important functional domains most frequently involved in patients with MG. This scoring system is based on quantitative testing of muscle groups, or symptom history told by the patient, by means of a 4 point scale ranging from 0 (no symptoms) to 9 (severe symptoms). The scale measures ocular, bulbar, respiratory and limb function, grading each finding, and the total score ranges from 0(no myasthenic findings) to 50 (maximal myasthenic deficits).
Time frame: 30 minutes
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