Drop-out, adherence, and compliance in randomized controlled trials of exercise training in multiple sclerosis: Short report

Robert W Motl; Daniel I Russell; Lara A Pilutti; Alexandra P Metse; Claudia H Marck; Bryan Chan; Peixuan Zheng; Yvonne C Learmonth

doi:10.1177/13524585241229332

Drop-out, adherence, and compliance in randomized controlled trials of exercise training in multiple sclerosis: Short report

Mult Scler. 2024 Apr;30(4-5):605-611. doi: 10.1177/13524585241229332. Epub 2024 Feb 9.

Authors

Robert W Motl¹, Daniel I Russell², Lara A Pilutti³, Alexandra P Metse^{4

5}, Claudia H Marck⁶, Bryan Chan^{7

8}, Peixuan Zheng¹, Yvonne C Learmonth^{9

10

11}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
² School of Psychology, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia.
³ Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁴ Discipline of Psychology, School of Health, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia.
⁵ School of Psychological Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
⁶ Disability and Health Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
⁷ Murdoch University Library, Murdoch, WA, Australia.
⁸ Discipline of Libraries, Archives, Records and Information Science, School of Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry, Faculty of Humanities, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
⁹ School of Allied Health (Exercise Science), Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia; Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia.
¹⁰ Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia.
¹¹ Centre for Healthy Ageing, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia.

PMID: 38333909
DOI: 10.1177/13524585241229332

Abstract

We documented reporting and rates of drop-out, adherence, and compliance from 40 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) included in our meta-analysis on safety of exercise training (ET) in MS. We adopted definitions and metrics of adherence and compliance provided by the MoXFo adherence group. Drop-out was reported in 100% of the RCTs and approximated 10% for intervention and control conditions. Adherence and compliance were reported in approximately 50% and 10% of the RCTs, respectively, and approximated 80% and 70%, respectively. Standardized metrics for reporting adherence and compliance are important in future RCTs for understanding the impact on outcomes and translation of research evidence into practice.

Keywords: Exercise; adherence; compliance; rehabilitation; safety.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis

MeSH terms

Exercise Therapy
Exercise*
Humans
Multiple Sclerosis* / therapy
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic