ICF in neurology: functioning and disability in patients with migraine, myasthenia gravis and Parkinson's disease

To report and compare functional features of patients with migraine, myasthenia gravis (MG) and Parkinson's disease (PD) with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Adult patients with migraine, MG and PD were enrolled and the ICF checklist administered. Count-based indexes were calculated for each ICF chapter and domain. Indexes were compared across conditions by means of ANOVA; relationships between ICF domains were evaluated using Spearman's correlation; group based on disability status were defined through cluster analysis and compared with disease groups using chi(2) test. Finally, most prevalent ICF categories were identified.

A total of 300 patients were enrolled and specific differences in BF, BS, A&P and EF indexes are reported. Spearman's correlations reported moderate relationships between BF and A&P indexes, whereas the correlation between A&P and EF is lower. Cluster analysis and chi(2) test show that patients with Migraine and MG are more likely to report moderate and low disability, whereas patients with PD are more likely to report moderate or severe disability. A total of 60 ICF relevant categories, mostly from A&P, were identified.

Our study provided a description of functioning and disability domains in migraine, MG and PD and enabled to report the impact of EF in determining the actual disability experience.