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Table 2 Background characteristics, and secondary outcome measures, mean ± SD (range), median (IQ-range), or number (%)

From: Physical activity in subjects with multiple sclerosis with focus on gender differences: a survey

  

All

Men

Women

P-value

Age (years)

51.5 ± 13.5 (19–79)

52.5 ± 14.5 (19–79)

51.0 ± 13.0 (22–79)

0.397

Type of MS

relapsing remitting

135 (47.0%)

26 (31.0%)

109 (53.7%)

0.450

 

secondary progressive

104 (36.2%)

37 (44.0%)

67 (33.0%)

 
 

primary progressive

32 (11.1%)

16 (19.0%)

16 (7.9%)

 
 

progressive relapsing

10 (3.5%)

4 (4.8%)

6 (3.0%)

 
 

subtype not known

6 (2.1%)

1 (1.2%)

5 (2.5%)

 

Time since diagnosis (years)

11 (11–18)

12 (7–22)

10 (5–18)

0.027*

Living with partner

alone

80 (27.9%)

27 (32.1%)

53 (26.1%)

0.266

 

with partner

203 (70.7%)

55 (65.5%)

148 (72.9%)

 

Living with children

without children

216 (75.3%)

66 (78.6%)

150 (73.9%)

0.403

 

with children

71 (24.7%)

18 (21.4%)

53 (26.1%)

 

Education

compulsory school

39 (13.6%)

14 (16.7%)

25 (12.3%)

0.473

 

upper secondary school

118 (41.1%)

34 (40.5%)

84 (41.1%)

 
 

post-secondary school

124 (43.2%)

32 (38.1%)

92 (45.3%)

 

Work status

working

118 (41.1%)

29 (34.5%)

89 (43.8%)

0.398

 

student

4 (1.4%)

1 (1.2%)

3 (1.5%)

 
 

out of work

8 (2.8%)

2 (2.4%)

6 (3.0%)

 
 

parental leave

4 (1.4%)

1 (1.2%)

3 (1.5%)

 
 

sickness benefit

52 (18.1%)

16 (19.0%)

36 (17.7%)

 
 

retired due to age

61 (21.3%)

24 (28.6%)

37 (18.2%)

 
 

parttime work/sickness benefit

12 (4.2%)

1 (1.2%)

11 (5.4%)

 
 

other

23 (8.0%)

8 (9.5%)

15 (7.4%)

 

Height (cm)

 

170.4 ± 8.1

179.0 ± 5.6

166.8 ± 5.9

N.A.

Weight (kg)

 

71.8 ± 12.2

79.4 ± 11.0

68.7 ± 11.3

N.A.

BMI (kg/m2)

 

24.7 ± 3.8

24.7 ± 3.0

24.7 ± 4.1

0.926

Smoking

yes

41 (14.3%)

12 (14.3%)

29 (14.3%)

0.952

 

no

243 (84.7%)

70 (83.3%)

173 (85.2%)

 

Other diseases

0

212 (73.9%)

67 (79.8%)

145 (71.4%)

0.152

 

1

58 (20.2%)

13 (15.5%)

45 (22.2%)

 
 

2

14 (4.9%)

3 (3.6%)

11 (5.4%)

 
 

3

3 (1.0%)

1 (1.2%)

2 (1.0%)

 

ACTIVLIM

 

3.2 (1.1–6.3)

1.8 (-0.2–6.2)

3.7 (1.5–6.3)

0.002*

Gait Y/N

yes can walk

256 (89.2%)

67 (79.8%)

189 (93.1%)

0.001*

 

no can’t walk

30 (10.5%)

17 (20.2%)

13 (6.4%)

 

Gait outside†

1–50 m

15 (10.5%)

5 (6.0%)

10 (4.9%)

0.001*

 

51–100 m

19 (5.2%)

8 (9.5%)

11 (5.4%)

 
 

101–500 m

30 (10.5%)

9 (10.7%)

21 (10.3%)

 
 

501–1000 m

5 (8.7%)

4 (4.8%)

21 (10.3%)

 
 

1001–3000 m

33 (11.5%)

9 (10.7%)

24 (11.8%)

 
 

>3000 m

110 (38.3%)

25 (29.8%)

85 (41.9%)

 

Fear of falling

yes

109 (38%)

32 (38.1%)

77 (37.9%)

0.951

 

no

162 (56.4%)

47 (56.0%)

115 (56.7%)

 
  1. *p < 0.05, N.A. = not applicable. † = total sum not 100% because those who could not walk are not displayed.