The mean score of each criterion over the study period.

Abbreviations: MSWS-12: 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale, BBS: Berg Balance Scale, TUG: Timed Up-and-Go, MSIS-29: Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale, PGIC: Patients’ Global Impression of Change.</p

Descriptive statistics of demographic and MS-related variables.

Descriptive statistics of demographic and MS-related variables.</p

Study Protocol, English Language: Study Protocol (Persian).

Study Protocol, English Language: Study Protocol (Persian).</p

Research summary.

Abbreviations: MSWS-12: 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale, BBS: Berg Balance Scale, TUG: Timed Up-and-Go, MSIS-29: Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale, PGIC: Patients’ Global Impression of Change, QoL: Quality of life, PwMS: Persons with multiple sclerosis.</p

Study schedule and design.

After a screening visit (visit 0) for eligibility evaluation, eligible patients returned 1 week later (visit 1) and received placebo medication for 2 weeks (the 2-week placebo run-in stage). At visit 2, patients started taking a 200 mg daily dosage of caffeine tablet and returned for four follow-up visits (visits 3–6) over a 12-week period. Abbreviations: MSWS-12: 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale, BBS: Berg Balance Scale, TUG: Timed Up-and-Go, MSIS-29: Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale, PGIC: Patients’ Global Impression of Change.</p

IRCT registry, Original Language: Clinical Trial Protocol Registry (Persian).

IRCT registry, Original Language: Clinical Trial Protocol Registry (Persian).</p

The score trend of each criterion by times.

ObjectivesCaffeine’s potential benefits on multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as on the ambulatory performance of non-MS populations, prompted us to evaluate its potential effects on balance, mobility, and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) of persons with MS (PwMS).MethodsThis single-arm pilot clinical trial consisted of a 2-week placebo run-in and a 12-week caffeine treatment (200 mg/day) stage. The changes in outcome measures during the study period (weeks 0, 2, 4, 8, and 12) were evaluated using the Generalized Estimation Equation (GEE). The outcome measures were the 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12) for self-reported ambulatory disability, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) for static and dynamic balance, Timed Up and Go (TUG) for dynamic balance and functional mobility, Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29) for patient’s perspective on MS-related QoL (MS-QoL), and Patients’ Global Impression of Change (PGIC) for subjective assessment of treatment efficacy. GEE was also used to evaluate age and sex effect on the outcome measures over time. (Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials, IRCT2017012332142N1).ResultsThirty PwMS were included (age: 38.89 ± 9.85, female: 76.7%). Daily caffeine consumption significantly improved the objective measures of balance and functional mobility (BBS; P-valueConclusionsCaffeine may enhance balance, functional mobility, and QoL in PwMS. Being male was associated with a sharper increase in self-reported ambulatory disability over time. The effects of aging on balance get more pronounced over time.Trial registrationThis study was registered with the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (Registration number: IRCT2017012332142N1), a Primary Registry in the WHO Registry Network.</div

IRCT registry, English Language: Clinical Trial Protocol Registry (English).

IRCT registry, English Language: Clinical Trial Protocol Registry (English).</p

Study Protocol, English Language: Study Protocol (English).

Study Protocol, English Language: Study Protocol (English).</p