A pilot study of the feasibility of a set of instruments for disability assessments in persons with mild to moderate multiple sclerosis

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to explore the feasibility of a set of eight instruments for describing aspects of function, activity, participation and health-related quality of life in people with mild to moderate disease severity in multiple sclerosis (MS). Data were collected from 24 persons with MS with mild to moderate disease severity 1.5–4.5 according to the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) using the Nine-hole Peg Test, Physiological Cost Index, Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory (SOFI), Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale, Symbol Digit Modalities Test, Free Recall and Recognition of 12 Random Words Test, Frenchay Activities Index, and Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Exploration of feasibility included patients’ acceptance of the instruments, floor and ceiling effects, correlation of the included instruments with disease severity of MS as per EDSS and comparison of individual data with reference values of healthy subjects. Data could be collected using...