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Objective: Severe fatigue is a prevalent and disabling symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS). This study tested if a fatigue‐ and physical activity‐related attentional bias (AB) and a somatic interpretation bias (IB) are present in severely fatigued patients with MS. Biases were compared to healthy controls and patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Method: Severely fatigued patients with MS or ME/CFS and healthy controls completed a Visual Probe Task (VPT) assessing fatigue‐ and physical activity‐related AB and an IB task that assesses the tendency to interpret ambiguous information in either a somatically threatening way or in a more neutral manner. The VPT was completed by 38 MS patients, 44 ME/CFS patients, and 46 healthy controls; the IB task was completed by 156, 40 and 46 participants respectively. Results: ANOVA showed no statistically significant group differences in a fatigue‐related AB or physical activity‐related AB (omnibus test of interaction between topic × condition: F2,125 = 1.87; p =.159). Both patient groups showed a tendency to interpret ambiguous information in a somatically threatening way compared to healthy controls (F1,2 = 27.61, p <.001). This IB was significantly stronger in MS patients compared to ME/CFS patients. IB was significantly correlated with cognitive responses to symptoms in MS patients. Conclusion: MS patients tend to interpret ambiguous information in a somatically threatening way. This may feed into unhelpful ways of dealing with symptoms, possibly contributing to the perpetuation of severe fatigue in MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) reduces MS-related fatigue. However, studies on the long-term effects show inconsistent findings. Objective: To evaluate whether a blended booster programme improves the outcome of CBT for MS-related fatigue on fatigue severity at 1-year follow-up. Method: A multicentre randomized clinical trial in which 126 patients with MS were allocated to either a booster programme or no booster programme (control), after following 20-week tailored CBT for MS-related fatigue. Primary outcome was fatigue severity assessed with the Checklist Individual Strength fatigue subscale 1 year after start of treatment (T52). Mixed model analysis was performed by a statistician blinded for treatment-allocation to determine between-group differences in fatigue severity. Results: Fatigue severity at 1-year follow-up did not differ significantly between the booster (N = 62) and control condition (N = 64) (B = −2.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −4.76 to 0.75). No significant increase in fatigue severity was found at T52 compared with directly post-treatment (T20) in both conditions (B = 0.44, 95% CI = −0.97 to 1.85). Conclusion: Effects of CBT were sustained up to 1 year in both conditions. The booster programme did not significantly improve the long-term outcome of CBT for MS-related fatigue. Trial registration: Dutch Trial Register (NTR6966), registered 18 January 2018 https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/6782 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate spoken language comprehension (SLC), single‐word comprehension (SWC), functional communication development, and their determinants, in children with cerebral palsy. Method: This was a prospective cohort study in the Netherlands spanning 2 years 6 months. The main outcomes were SLC and SWC, assessed by the Computer‐Based instrument for Low motor Language Testing (C‐BiLLT) and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test‐III‐NL (PPVT‐III‐NL) respectively; and functional communication, measured by a subscale of the Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six‐34 (FOCUS‐34). Linear mixed models were used to determine developmental trajectories, which were compared with norm and reference data. Potential determinants, for example intellectual functions, speech production, functional communication level (classified with the Communication Function Classification System, CFCS), and functional mobility, were added to assess their effects. Results: Children with cerebral palsy (n = 188; mean age 59 months, range 17–110) were monitored for 2 years 6 months. Developmental trajectories for SLC (C‐BiLLT) and SWC (PPVT‐III‐NL) were nonlinear; those for functional communication (FOCUS‐34) were linear. Compared with norm and reference groups, significantly delayed SLC, SWC, and functional communication development were found. Determinants for SLC and SWC were intellectual functions and functional communication level (CFCS); and for functional communication development (FOCUS‐34), speech production and arm–hand functioning. Interpretation: Children with cerebral palsy showed delayed SLC, SWC, and functional communication development compared with norm and reference groups. Remarkably, functional mobility was not associated with the development of SLC, SWC, or functional communication. What this paper adds: Children with cerebral palsy have delayed spoken language comprehension (SLC), single‐word comprehension (SWC), and functional communication development, compared to norm and reference data.Determinants for SLC and SWC development are intellectual functions and functional communication level.Determinants for functional communication development are speech production and arm–hand functioning.Functional mobility is not associated with SLC, SWC, or functional communication. What this paper adds: Children with cerebral palsy have delayed spoken language comprehension (SLC), single‐word comprehension (SWC), and functional communication development, compared to norm and reference data.Determinants for SLC and SWC development are intellectual functions and functional communication level.Determinants for functional communication development are speech production and arm–hand functioning.Functional mobility is not associated with SLC, SWC, or functional communication. Video Podcast: https://youtu.be/x09Tac7tsz0 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the relationship between perceived and physiological strains of real-time societal participation in people with multiple sclerosis., Design: Observational study., Subjects/patients: 70 people with multiple sclerosis., Methods: Perceived and physiological strain of societal participation (10 participation-at-location and 9 transport domains) were measured in real time using the Whereabouts smartphone app and Fitbit over 7 consecutive days. Longitudinal relationships between perceived (1 not strenuous to 10 most strenuous) and physiological strains (heart rate reserve) were examined using mixed-model analyses. Type of event (participation-at-location or transport) was added as covariate, with further adjustments for fatigue and walking ability., Results: Median perceived strain, summarized for all societal participation domains, varied between 3 and 6 (range: 1-10), whereas physiological strain varied between 18.5% and 33.2% heart rate reserve. Perceived strain (outcome) and physiological strain were not associated (β -0.001, 95%CI -0.008; 0.005, with a 7-day longitudinal correlation coefficient of -0.001). Transport domains were perceived as less strenuous (β -0.80, 95%CI -0.92; -0.68). Higher fatigue levels resulted in higher perceived strain (all societal participation domains) (β 0.05, 95%CI 0.02; 0.08)., Conclusion: Societal participation resulted in low-to-moderate perceived and physiological strain. Perceived and physiological strain of societal participation were unrelated and should be considered different constructs in multiple sclerosis.