Skeletal muscle characteristics of people with multiple sclerosis

Carroll CC, Gallagher PM, Seidle ME, Trappe SW. Skeletal muscle characteristics of people with multiple sclerosis. To compare the single-fiber characteristics and muscle weakness of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) with that of healthy persons without MS. Descriptive. A university-based exercise physiology laboratory. Fourteen subjects (7 controls, 7 people with relapsing-remitting MS; Expanded Disability Status Scale median score, 6.0; range, 2.5–6.5). Not applicable. Singe muscle fiber myosin heavy chain (MHC) distribution, myosin adenosine triphosphatase fiber type, and single muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA). The distribution of MHC I, MHC IIa, MHC IIx, and total hybrid fibers (I/IIa+I/IIa/IIx+IIa/IIx) did not differ between the 2 groups. However, the distribution of MHC I/IIa/IIx fibers was greater ( P