Moving Forward with MS - New Online Resource Helps Patients Manage Mobility Impairment

~ MobilityMattersinMS.ca is the First Canadian Website Dedicated to Mobility Impairment in MS ~

TORONTO, March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Mobility impairment is the most significant physical symptom of having multiple sclerosis (MS).  In fact, the results of an international study show that Canadian patients consistently rank walking as their highest priority among thirteen bodily functions including vision, cognition and bladder control, regardless of the degree of impairment or disease duration.¹  MobilityMatterinMS.ca, developed by Biogen Idec Canada, is the first Canadian online resource that provides information to help patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals manage the symptoms of mobility impairment in MS.

Multiple sclerosis is a complex, neurologic disease that impacts overall quality of life with a wide range of symptoms.  The international Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Research - IMPACT survey reveals that nearly one-half (48 per cent) of Canadian MS patients experience difficulties with mobility within one month after diagnosis,² increasing to 92 per cent within 10 years of diagnosis.³

"Research advances have provided MS patients with improvements in the treatment of their disease, but the management of symptoms like mobility continues to be a significant challenge," said Dr. Daniel Selchen, MD, FRCPC, neurologist at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, Ontario.  "Symptoms of mobility impairment in MS are usually progressive, and cause a profound effect on the independence, quality of life and daily activities of many patients.  Patients and healthcare professionals alike require additional resources to fully assess the impact of loss of mobility and know how to better manage it."

MobilityMattersinMS.ca offers patients and caregivers information regarding the difficulties with mobility as a result of MS. Daily tips, mobility polls, event listings, real life stories and an assortment of tools such as Maximizing Your Mobility exercise videos and Mobility Matters in MS Pedometer iPhone Application, are available to help patients understand and cope with the physical implications caused by the symptoms of mobility impairment in MS.

"Physicians are consistently seeking new and innovative ways to help people with MS and their families cope with this disease," said Dr. Selchen.  "MobilityMattersinMS.ca is a welcome and encouraging resource that can assist patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals with the management of mobility issues in MS."

MobilityMattersinMs.ca is an important development in the management of mobility impairment in MS as more than one-third of patients turn to online resources like social media to share their experiences with mobility difficulties.⁴ Family and caregivers of patients will also benefit as Canadians are the most avid viewers of online video,⁵ and nearly 80 per cent of people aged 16 and older, or 21.7 million people, use the Internet for personal reasons.⁶  Of Canadian internet users, 64 per cent of Canadian internet users search for medical or health-related information.⁷

Results from the IMPACT study
Other results from the IMPACT study confirm the significance that MS patients and healthcare professionals place on mobility impairment.  For 78 per cent of patients, mobility impairment is a constant issue⁸ and at least once per week, the majority of MS patients (80 per cent) experience difficulties with mobility.⁹  A significant number of Canadian MS patients feel limited (50 per cent) and frustrated (44 per cent)¹ due to mobility impairment and its most common symptoms, which includes weakness in the legs (90 per cent), difficulty walking (88 per cent), lack of balance (88 per cent), and slowness in movement (86 per cent).¹¹

For more information, visit www.MobilityMattersinMS.ca.

About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a complex, chronic and generally progressive disease,¹² most often diagnosed in young adults, aged 15 to 40, but sometimes affects children as young as two years old.¹³  The course of MS is heterogeneous, but generally occurs over 30 to 40 years, and is characterized by multiple neurologic deficits, decreased quality of life¹⁴ and significant socioeconomic burden.¹⁵

MS attacks the protective covering (myelin) of the brain and spinal cord, causing inflammation and often damaging the myelin.¹⁶ The usual flow of nerve impulses along nerve fibres (axons) is disrupted.¹⁷  The result may be the wide variety of MS symptoms including fatigue, weakness, muscle spasms, pain, tremors, double vision, bladder and bowel dysfunction, cognitive deficits and loss of mobility, among other problems.^18,19

Multiple Sclerosis in Canada
Canada is known for having one of the highest prevalence of MS in the world.²  Currently, more than two million people are estimated to suffer with MS worldwide,²¹ including between 55,000 and 75,000 Canadians. The overall weighted estimate of MS rates in Canada is 240 per 100,000 people²² causing three or more people per day to be diagnosed with MS.²³

About the IMPACT Multiple Sclerosis Patient Survey
The survey, titled "Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Quality of Life Research - IMPACT," was performed by Brand Health (Harpenden, UK), funded by Biogen Idec and conducted online.  Participants were recruited from the UK, France, Germany, Sweden, Spain and Canada.  A total of 182 HCPs (121 neurologists and 61 MS specialist nurses) who were actively involved in the management of MS patients completed a quantitative questionnaire.²⁴

About Biogen Idec
Through cutting-edge science and medicine, Biogen Idec discovers, develops and delivers to patients worldwide innovative therapies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, hemophilia and autoimmune disorders. Founded in 1978, Biogen Idec is the world's oldest independent biotechnology company. Patients worldwide benefit from its leading multiple sclerosis therapies, and the company generates nearly $5 billion in annual revenues. For product labeling, press releases and additional information about the company, please visit www.biogenidec.com.

References:
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¹ Paul van Asch, "Impact of mobility impairment in Multiple Sclerosis 2 - Patients' Perspectives."  European Neurological Review: 115.
² Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Quality of Life Research - IMPACT.  July 2010.  Slide 40.
³ Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Quality of Life Research - IMPACT.  July 2010.  Slide 48.
⁴ Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Quality of Life Research - IMPACT.  July 2010.  Slide 131.
⁵ "Average Canadian internet user spends an hour a day watching 10 videos online."  Marketing Magazine Online, accessed January 10, 2012, http://www.marketingmag.ca/news/media-news/average-canadian-internet-user-spends-an-hour-a-day-watching-10-videos-online-2-42515.
⁶ "Canadian Internet Use Survey."  Statistics Canada, accessed January 10, 2012, http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/100510/dq100510a-eng.htm.
⁷ Table 3 - Online activities from any location (% of Internet users)."   Statistics Canada, accessed January 10, 2012, http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/111012/dq111012a-eng.htm.
⁸ Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Quality of Life Research - IMPACT.  July 2010.  Slide 72.
⁹ Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Quality of Life Research - IMPACT.  July 2010.  Slide 64.
¹ Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Quality of Life Research - IMPACT.  July 2010.  Slide 141.
¹¹ Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Quality of Life Research - IMPACT.  July 2010.  Slide 56.
¹² Nicholas G. LaRocca, "Impact of Walking Impairment in multiple Sclerosis."  National Multiple Sclerosis Society 4, no.3 (2011): 190.
¹³ "About MS." Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, accessed January 6, 2012, http://mssociety.ca/en/information/default.htm.
¹⁴ Nicholas G. LaRocca, "Impact of Walking Impairment in multiple Sclerosis."  National Multiple Sclerosis Society 4, no.3 (2011): 190.
¹⁵ Hans-Peter Hartung, "Impact of mobility impairment in multiple sclerosis 1 - Healthcare professionals perspectives."  European Neurological Review: 110.
¹⁶ "Managing MS Symptoms." Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, accessed January 6, 2012, http://mssociety.ca/en/information/symptoms.htm.
¹⁷ "Managing MS Symptoms." Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, accessed January 6, 2012, http://mssociety.ca/en/information/symptoms.htm.
¹⁸"Managing MS Symptoms." Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, accessed January 6, 2012, http://mssociety.ca/en/information/symptoms.htm.
¹⁹ Nicholas G. LaRocca, "Impact of Walking Impairment in multiple Sclerosis."  National Multiple Sclerosis Society 4, no.3 (2011): 190.
²⁰ "MS Experts estimate number of Canadians with MS is 55,000 to 75,000." Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, accessed January 6, 2012, http://mssociety.ca/en/research/medmmo-prev-may_02.htm.
²¹ Hans-Peter Hartung, "Impact of mobility impairment in multiple sclerosis 1 - Healthcare professionals perspectives."  European Neurological Review: 110.
²² "MS Experts estimate number of Canadians with MS is 55,000 to 75,000." Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, accessed January 6, 2012, http://mssociety.ca/en/research/medmmo-prev-may_02.htm.
²³ "About MS." Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, accessed January 6, 2012, http://mssociety.ca/en/information/default.htm.
²⁴ Hans-Peter Hartung, "Impact of mobility impairment in multiple sclerosis 1 - Healthcare professionals perspectives."  European Neurological Review: 110.

SOURCE Mobility Matters in MS