Comparing activity levels between people with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and healthy controls: a pilot study

This pilot study aims to compare physical activity levels, recorded using the SenseWear activity monitor (SAM), in people with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (pwCMT) and healthy matched controls. Correlations between SAM activity levels, self reported activity levels and impairments were investigated. Twelve pwCMT and 12 healthy matched controls wore a SAM for the waking hours of 7 days. Primary comparisons of body mass index (BMI), calorie expenditure, energy expenditure (METs), time spent performing sedentary (<3 METs) and moderately vigorous (ÔëÑ3 METs) activities were measured using the SAM in both groups, expressed as an individual‘s mean day. Secondary measures included reported activity levels (Phone-FITT questionnaire) and fatigue severity (FSS questionnaire) plus disease severity using the CMT Examination Score (CMTES). Results: There were no significant group differences between calorie expenditure, energy expenditure, or time spent performing sedentary or moderate activities. Disease severity, self reported activity, and fatigue did not correlate with any of the SAM measures in pwCMT. No difference was seen in BMI (pwCMT mean BMI 25 ±3; Controls mean BMI 26 ±4), but both groups showed correlations between energy expenditure and BMI (pwCMT=0.61, P=0.035; Controls=0.61, P=0.031). PwCMT also showed a correlation between sedentary activity and BMI (0.64, P=0.027). Conclusion: These early results indicate that pwCMT have levels of physical activity comparable with healthy controls. This contrasts with previous literature that reported pwCMT as an underactive population. The SAM and self reported measures of physical activity did not correlate, perhaps because the Phone-FITT questionnaire doesn‘t account for occupational activity. The correlation between BMI and activity variables raises general health and well being implications. A larger trial will be required to see if the between group differences in physical activity are significant with more subjects.