Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic immune-mediated and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system that often affects young adults and is more common in women. In addition to neurological disability, individuals with MS frequently experience frailty, a condition characterized by reduced physiological reserve, weakness, fatigue, decreased physical activity, and increased vulnerability to stressors. Frailty in MS is associated with poorer mobility, higher fall risk, reduced quality of life, and increased healthcare utilization. Irisin, a hormone released from skeletal muscles during exercise, is linked to energy metabolism and muscle function, and lower levels have been associated with reduced physical performance and sarcopenia. However, the relationship between frailty, physical fitness, and irisin levels in individuals with MS has not been sufficiently explored.
This study aims to compare frailty status, physical fitness parameters, and circulating irisin levels between patients with MS and healthy volunteers aged 18-65 years. Participants will undergo assessments including the Functional Independence Measure, Frailty Index, Berg Balance Scale, 6-Minute Walk Test, and handgrip strength measurement. Blood samples will also be collected to determine irisin levels using the ELISA method. Statistical analyses will evaluate differences between groups and correlations among frailty, functional performance, and irisin levels. The findings are expected to improve understanding of frailty mechanisms in MS and contribute to developing targeted rehabilitation and management strategies.
Eligibility
Sex
ALL
Min age
18 Years
Max age
65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Inclusion Criteria:
* Patients aged 18-65 evaluated by neurology and diagnosed with definitive MS via objective methods (MRI, lumbar puncture, etc.).
* Healthy volunteers aged 18-65.
* Being literate in Turkish.
* Participants who provide a consent form to participate in the study.
Exclusion Criteria:
* Being younger than 18 or older than 65.
* Presence of any concomitant neurological disease other than MS.
* Presence of an uncontrolled systemic disease at a level that would affect the evaluation.
* Presence of cognitive impairment or psychiatric illness at a level that would affect the evaluation.
* Having had an MS attack or received steroid treatment in the last month.
* Presence of an orthopedic disability that prevents evaluations.
Primary outcome measure(s)
fraility index — 3 months The Frailty Index (FI) is a quantitative measure of frailty based on the concept of "accumulated deficits," first developed by researchers including Kenneth Rockwood and Arnold Mitnitski. It reflects the proportion of health deficits an individual has out of a defined total number assessed. Deficits can include symptoms, diseases, disabilities, cognitive impairments, abnormal laboratory values, or functional limitations, typically numbering 30-70 variables. Each deficit is scored as 0 (absent) or 1 (present), though intermediate values (e.g., 0.5) may be used for partial impairment. The Frailty Index is calculated by dividing the number of deficits present by the total number measured (e.g., 10 deficits out of 40 variables = FI of 0.25). Scores range from 0 to 1, with higher values indicating greater frailty; commonly, \<0.10 suggests robustness, 0.10-0.24 mild frailty, 0.25-0.39 moderate frailty, and ≥0.40 severe frailty.
This page summarises publicly available registry data for informational purposes — not medical advice. Eligibility is determined by each study team; patients should discuss participation with their clinician.
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