May 16, 2023 News by Mary Chapman MS app aims to empower patients, inform clinicians via at-home testing The artificial intelligence (AI)-driven platform BeCare Link has introduced a mobile application to help multiple sclerosis (MS) patients be more active in their care and ensure clinicians have the data to treat them. BeCare MS Link, the platform’s first subspecialty product, is touted as the most comprehensive…
February 23, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD App Helps With Long-term Spasticity Management After Rehab Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who experience reductions in spasticity after a four-week course of inpatient rehabilitation can sustain those improvements in the long term using an app-based self-training program, according to data from a clinical trial. The app also led to better adherence to the self-training program than…
October 20, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD #ECTRIMS2021 – App’s Use Prolongs Gains of Spasticity Rehab Program Editorās note: TheĀ Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the virtual 37th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Oct. 13ā15. GoĀ hereĀ to see the latest stories from the conference. Four…
August 19, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Smartphone App Floodlight Found to Reliably Measure MS Data A smartphone-based app called Floodlight can reliably assess cognition, arm and hand function, and walking abilities in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new analyses. “Detection of progression onset or worsening is critical to optimally adapt the therapeutic strategy” patients are using to treat the neurodegenerative disease,…
June 3, 2021 News by Vanda Pinto, PhD BelongMS App Now Includes French Language Option Belong.Life, a developer of a networking platforms that help patients navigate and manage their disease, has added a French language option in its BelongMS app for the French-speaking Canadian community. BelongMS is a free mobile app that uses artificial intelligence algorithms to support the multiple sclerosis (MS)…
July 17, 2020 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Special Exercise App Wins Favor in Progressive MS Study, But Little More A multimedia smartphone application designed to precisely inform about exercise and track physical activity ledĀ primary or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) patients to be more active ā but no more than a comparison patient group given only a…
June 5, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Icompanion App Enables Patients to Track Symptoms, Understand MRI Scans IcometrixĀ launched a new digital platform, icompanion, to help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) track their disease and understandĀ MRI scans. The platform, currently available in English, French, German, and Dutch, Ā consists of a phone app for patients and a web-based dashboard to help clinicians track patients and…
May 22, 2020 News by Mary Chapman MedTech Breakthrough Cites RxMx and Roche for MS Patient App For a comprehensive support app developed for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients,Ā RxMxĀ and Roche have won the Patient Engagement Innovation Award from Medtech Breakthrough. The fourth annual awards program recognized top health and medical technology products and companies. Healthcare company RxMx and pharmaceutical company Roche collaborated to produce…
May 5, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Belong.Life Launches App to Support MS Patients and Healthcare Professionals Belong.Life has launched a free and anonymous social network app to offer support for people with multiple sclerosis (MS),Ā their caregivers, and healthcare professionals. The app is called BelongMS andĀ is now available…
September 26, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS New App May Help Measure Cognitive Function in MS Patients, Study Reports A new app might make it easier for healthcare providers to assess cognitive function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The app was described in the study, “iCAMS: Assessing the Reliability of a BICAMS Tablet Application,” published in the International Journal of MS…
September 23, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Partnership Aims for FDA-approved App That Aids Mental Health in MS, Sanofi Announces SanofiĀ is working with Happify HealthĀ to develop an app that addresses the mental health of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) through cognitive behavior therapy. The physical symptoms of MS, such as fatigue and spasticity, are well-documented. But many patients also struggle with bouts of depression,…
September 5, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Floodlight App Gets Positive Ratings, Shows Good Continuous Use in Pilot Study Using smartphones and smartwatches to monitor disease course via the FLOODLIGHT app leads to high adherence and satisfaction among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), results from a pilot study show. The research, āAdherence and Satisfaction of Smartphone- and Smartwatch-Based Remote Active Testing and Passive Monitoring in People With Multiple Sclerosis: Nonrandomized Interventional Feasibility Study,ā was published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. Assessing MS progression commonly requires periodic in-clinic visits, and doctors may miss subtle changes occurring between such visits. Smartphones may be a solution for real-time data collection and better patient monitoring outside the clinic. The Roche-sponsored FLOODLIGHT study assessed the feasibility of using smartphones and smartwatches to assess MS symptoms, including hand function, gait and posture, mood, and cognitive impairment. FLOODLIGHT primarily evaluated adherence and feedback to the smartphone- and smartwatch-based assessments, as well as the participantsā satisfaction, as determined by their impact on daily activities. The study included 76 MS patients (ages 20 to 57; 53 were women) and 25 healthy controls, who were recruited at the Multiple Sclerosis Centre of CataloniaĀ in Barcelona, and the University of California, San Francisco. Most patients (91%) had relapsing-remitting MS. The mean time since symptom onset was 11.3 years, and the mean Expanded Disability Status Scale score was 2.4. The test battery included active tests performed daily, weekly, every two weeks, or on demand for 24 weeks, and passive monitoring, which analyzed sensor-based gait and mobility. Participants were instructed to complete the active tests at roughly the same time every day, and to carry the smartphone and smartwatch with them all the time. Adherence was assessed via the proportion of weeks with at least three days of completed testing, and four daily hours of passive monitoring. Satisfaction was determined through a questionnaire. Clinical evaluations were conducted at the study's start, after 12 weeks, and at the study's end. Brain magnetic resonance imaging scans were taken at the enrollment visit and at week 24 (study's end). Most participants finished the study ā 92% of MS patients and 64% of the controls. Reasons for discontinuation included the burden of continuous monitoring and lack of availability for the three required in-clinic visits. Over an 18-month period, from November 2016 to April 2018, most participants performed five to seven active tests per week, including the Two-Minute Walk Test (2MWT). Adherence to both active tests and passive monitoring for the 24 weeks was good, and remained stable over time after week six. In the final week, participants had a minimum of four hours of passive monitoring data over an average of four days. Adherence was higher for passive monitoring than the tests. Data showed that 70% of participants completed all active tests, 75% did all active tests except the 2MWT, and 79% had data collected via smartphone- or smartwatch-based passive monitoring. The longer a person's disease duration, the lower was their adherence. In contrast, disease severity was not seen to impact adherence. Overall scores reflecting satisfaction was 73.7 out of 100Ā at week 24, having remained stable since week 12. Sixty-one patients reported that the test battery had an at least an acceptable impact on daily activities. Thirty-two had no issue with the active tests, while one-third would rather avoid the 2MWT. A majority, 60%, of the MS patients said they would like to continue using the FLOODLIGHT app to better understand their disease and improve its management. āPersons with multiple sclerosis were engaged and satisfied with the FLOODLIGHT test battery,ā the scientists wrote. As such, āFLOODLIGHT sensor-based measures may enable continuous assessment of multiple sclerosis disease in clinical trials and real-world settings.ā FLOODLIGHT tests are being assessed in long-term studies with larger patient groups in the CONSONANCE Phase 3b trial of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab, by Roche-owned Genentech) in people with progressive MS still enrolling, contact information is here), and in a global studyĀ open to all MS patients with a mobile device, called FLOODLIGHT Open.
March 7, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein #ACTRIMS2019 – MSCopilot App Shows Promise as Self-Monitoring Tool MSCopilot, a software deviceĀ designed for the self-assessment of multiple sclerosis (MS), distinguishes between patients and healthy controls, and potentially could be usedĀ in clinical practice for the monitoring of MS disability progression and patients’ response to treatment. Matthieu Lamy, fromĀ Ad Scientiam, the…
March 6, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein #ACTRIMS2019 – Game-like Smartphone App Used to Test Neurological Disability in MS In the time necessary to perform a standard multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) functional exam, gamified tests on a smartphone app provide much richer and reliable measurements of several distinct neurological functions, according to new data. These findings suggest that creatively-constructed smartphone apps may one day recreate entire neurological exams.
November 7, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #ECTRIMS2018 – Better MS Monitoring and Disease Understanding Among Goals of FLOODLIGHT Open, Genentech Director Says The ability to track multiple sclerosis (MS) at any time, gain a more complete picture of each patientās disease course and a better understanding of MS are among the possible benefits of the FLOODLIGHT app, according to Laura Julian, PhD, principal medical science director at Genentech. The company…
June 29, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Updated ‘My MS Manager’ App Now Offers More Features, MSAA Announces The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) recently launched a new version of the My MS Manager, a mobile app designed to provide convenient services to the multiple sclerosis (MS) community. The app is powered by @Point of Care and is available as a free download…
May 10, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Social Network for MS Patients Launched by Curatio and BioScript Solutions Curatio and BioScript Solutions recently launched a mobile patient engagement platform designed to provide multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with a way to connect, share experiences, and gain new knowledge. The private, free social network app was introduced at the recentĀ HLTH conference, which took place May 6-9…
April 2, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD FDA Clears Mobile App for Use with L300 Go System Created to Help with Walking and Gait The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently cleared the myBioness mobile app, designed by Bioness, to be used with the L300 Go SystemĀ to improve muscle strength in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) or other conditions that affect walking. The L300 Go System is approvedĀ to help…
October 5, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Can iPhone App Grasp the MS Experience? Duke Study Wants to Find Out Researchers at Duke University want to determine if data collected through an iPhone app can ably capture individual experiences in people with multiple sclerosisĀ to improve doctor-patient communication and overall disease understanding. According to a National MS Society report, the researchers want to investigate the benefits combining mobile phone-based data with machine learning (the ability of a smartphone to mimic human behavior) and patient participation. The study is currently enrolling MS patients, 18 or older, live in the United States and be able to read and understand English. Participants must own or have daily access to an iPhone (iOS 9 or greater) to download a free, MS Mosaic app from the Apple Store. The app is not yet available for Android phones. The rationale behind the study is that MS can be an extremely complex condition, with symptoms ranging from numbness, walking difficulty, to vision impairment and fatigue. Each patient's experience is different and can be affected by medication, emotional health, and environmental factors. This complexity can complicate research. Study participants will receive daily, weekly and monthly questionnaires to fill about their symptoms. Daily surveys should take no longer than a minute to complete, and weekly surveys about ten minutes. Initial registration should take about 20 minutes, the NMSS report says. In some of the surveys, participants will be asked to perform specific tasks while holding or using the mobile phone, like walking 25 steps, turning around, then walking back 25 steps ā while holding the phone. Other tests include tapping on the phone screen repeatedly to test motor speed, coordination and fatigue, or playing a pattern game to assess short-term memory. These tasks should take about five minutes each. Patients can choose not to answer some of the questions or to participate in certain tasks. All information is collected through the app, and will be sent to a secure data server. Participants can export data to share with a healthcare provider. Each person will be identified by a code, and data will be analyzed in a way that maintains confidentiality. Researchers, however, be able to identify a participant should they need to do so for "research integrity or legal purposes," the report states. Questions regarding this study can be answered by sending an email toĀ [email protected].
August 24, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD MS Patients Can Use Smartphone to Take Part in Novartis Study of Movement Performance and Symptoms A multiple sclerosis study will collect information about patients' movement performance and symptoms from their smartphones, Novartis has reported. The study is aimed at evaluating in real time the daily challenges of people living with MS. The results may help researchers develop new ways to measure treatments' effectiveness, the company said. Novartis is partnering on what it has dubbed the elevateMS study with Sage Bionetworks. The non-profit research organization is developing new predictors of disease to accelerate health research. A cellphone application will allow MS patients to send information about their situation from anywhere. The app will use sensors to gather information on patients' movements. It will also assess functional performance tasks that participants engage in. Patients can also fill out questionnaires with the app. A division of Apple called the Apple ResearchKit platform developed the app. Those interested in participating in the study can download it here. The elevateMS app allows a smartphone user to register important features of their disease. It includes a symptom tracker tool that allows users to record their overall wellness. They can also get an overview of what's been happening to them on an activity dashboard. Patients, neurologists and disease advocates gave Apple's app team input that helped with the design. "As physicians, we always want to know how our patients with MS are doing on the treatments we prescribe," Dr. Stanley Cohan, medical director of the Providence Multiple Sclerosis Center in Portland, Oregon, said in a press release. "With the elevateMS app, study participants can frequently document their symptoms in a personal health story," said Cohan, one of the scientific advisors to the study. "In turn, this data may provide researchers with new ways to look at disease progression and treatment effectiveness." The elevateMS study is open to MS patients 18 years old or older in the United States who own a smartphone. Additional information about it is available at www.elevatems.org.
May 19, 2017 News by Charles Moore Pilot Study of myMS App, Created to Aid Patients and Research, Starting in US A clinical trial of a smartphone app that helps multiple sclerosis (MS) understand and manageĀ their disease ā and to aid and speed research āĀ is nowĀ recruiting peopleĀ nationwide. Claimed to be the first of its kind, the app, called myMS, is designed to give MS patients quick and easyĀ access toĀ pertinentĀ information, fromĀ clinical evaluations…
June 11, 2015 News by Charles Moore The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America Releases Updated Mobile Phone App The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) has updated its smartphone app My MS Manager with several new features. My MS Manager, a first-of-its kind mobile phone app supporting both Apple’s iPhone (iOS 7.0 or later) and Android mobile devices (also works with iPads, iPod touch, and Android…