NCT07182903

Fatigue in MS: From Invisible to Measurable

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 40 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University Medical Center Groningen · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 60 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Fatigue is one of the most common and burdensome symptoms of MS, but its precise cause remains unknown, and an effective treatment is lacking. Previous research has shown that the progression of MS is associated with a higher presence of a specific type of T-cell, the cytotoxic CD4+ T-cells, which play a role in the immune system. The aim of this study is to investigate whether these cells can also be linked to fatigue in people with MS.

Detailed description

Forty individuals with MS will be asked to complete questionnaires about fatigue and perform motor tasks. Additionally, blood samples will be taken to measure the levels of cytotoxic CD4+ T-cells. These values will then be correlated with fatigue scores and performance on the motor tasks. Scores from the fatigue questionnaires and decline in amplitude and frequency from the performance fatiguability test will be correlated to the level of CD4 CTLs from the blood samples. Secondary study parameters include muscle activation patterns measured by EMG, distance walked on 6MWT and voluntary muscle activation.

Conditions

• Multiple Sclerosis

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-10-27
• Primary completion: 2026-04-01
• Completion: 2026-04-30
• First posted: 2025-09-19
• Last updated: 2026-01-23

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Netherlands