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IJMSC July 2026 Research Roundup
The research published by the International Journal of MS Care in July 2026: vasular comorbidity, care partner support networks, comprehensive care models, clinical testing on a smartphone.
The research published by the International Journal of MS Care (IJMSC) in July 2026 examines multiple sclerosis (MS) from distinct angles: vascular physiology, the support networks caregivers rely on, comparative models of comprehensive care delivery, and remote smartphone-based neuroperformance testing.
Arterial Stiffness Is Higher in MS — and Common Covariates Don't Explain It
Pooling data from 3 prior studies, DeJonge et al compared carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), the gold-standard measure of aortic stiffness, in 129 people with MS and 51 controls. The MS group showed higher stiffness (P = .05), though the effect size was small (d = –0.354). Higher cfPWV tracked with older age, higher body mass index, higher mean arterial pressure, and shorter distance on the 6-Minute Walk Test.
The finding the authors build on: the group difference held after controlling for all of those variables plus anxiety and depression symptoms are covariates rarely accounted for in prior arterial stiffness research in MS. Worth noting alongside it is that the 2 groups differed far more sharply on anxiety, depression, and walking endurance than on stiffness itself.
What MS Care Partners Actually Lean On
Cardwell et al surveyed and interviewed 15 MS care partners in Canada to map their support networks, which contained a median of 12 distinct sources (range, 8-27). Friends and family were the most frequently named supports, reported by 93.3% and 73.3% of participants, respectively.
But frequency and importance diverged. The supports participants ranked as most important were physical activity, home care services, and the care recipients themselves, pointing to a dyadic disease experience in which the person being cared for is also a source of support. Among individual caregiver characteristics, only resilience (r = 0.539, P = .038) and neuroticism (r = –0.65, P = .009) were associated with network size.
Comparing 3 Models of Comprehensive MS Care
A pilot study by Backus et al followed 3 cohorts: participants in a 4-day comprehensive MS care program (4Day, n = 24), people receiving care through an MS institute offering neurology, rehabilitation, and wellness services (MSI, n = 10), and members of the iConquerMS online research platform receiving usual care (iCMS, n = 21). Attrition at later time points limited analysis to baseline, 1 month, and 6 months.
Across the full sample, repeated-measures ANOVAs showed significant improvement in fatigue (P = .006), self-management (P = .003), emotional and behavioral dyscontrol (P = .023), and physical impact (P = .044). The 4Day and MSI groups gained more than the usual-care group in self-management, self-efficacy, and quality of life, with the separation most pronounced at 1 month. Group-by-time interactions reached significance on 2 self-management subscales: treatment adherence (P = .042) and health maintenance behavior (P = .021).
Smartphone-Based Neuroperformance Testing Shows Uneven but Promising Validity
Beshears et al had 23 people with MS and 23 controls complete a self-administered smartphone battery alongside the validated iPad Multiple Sclerosis Performance Test at a single clinic visit.
Agreement varied by test. The strongest results came from the processing speed test, which correlated closely with its iPad counterpart (ρ = 0.78), and the remote Timed Up and Go, which correlated with the Timed 25-Foot Walk (ρ = 0.80). Correlations were more moderate for the remote 5 Times Sit-to-Stand (ρ = 0.55) and the finger tapping test (ρ = –0.46 and –0.41 for right and left hands). Open-eye balance measures showed good test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients, 0.82 and 0.77), which the authors flag as a promising signal for remote monitoring.
