Validation of the NARCOMS Registry: Tremor and Coordination Scale

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Clinical Assessment
• Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS) tremor is a disabling symptom that is understudied.
• Developing patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for MS tremor is crucial for research.
• The Tremor and Coordination Scale (TACS) is a PROM used in the NARCOMS Registry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the criterion and construct validity of the TACS for MS tremor.
• To determine if TACS scores correlate with established clinical measures of disability and function.
• To support the use of TACS as a reliable tool in MS research.

Main Methods:

• Forty-four MS patients completed the TACS, Performance Scales, and MSFC.
• Neurologic examination included the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).
• Spearman rank correlations assessed validity between TACS and EDSS, NHPT, age, BMI, Performance Scales domains, and SF-36 scores.

Main Results:

• The TACS demonstrated moderate correlations with the cerebellar Functional System Score (r = 0.51) and the Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT) (r = -0.51).
• TACS scores showed significant correlations with hand function (r = 0.60) and mobility (r = 0.56) domains of the Performance Scales.
• No significant correlations were found between TACS and age (r = -0.11) or BMI (r = 0.15).

Conclusions:

• The TACS exhibits criterion and construct validity for assessing tremor in patients with MS.
• The TACS is a promising tool for patient-reported assessment of MS-related tremor.
• Further research should focus on test-retest reliability and responsiveness to change for the TACS.