Related Experiment Videos
Risk tolerance to MS therapies: Survey results from the NARCOMS registry
Robert J Fox1, Amber Salter2, Joan M Alster3
1Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders
|May 27, 2015
Summary
Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients show varied risk tolerance for therapies. Factors like gender, age, disability, and information seeking influence their acceptance of treatments, including potential cures and existing medications.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimmunology
- Clinical Neurology
- Patient-Reported Outcomes
Background:
- Limited data exists on how multiple sclerosis (MS) patients perceive and accept risks associated with different MS therapies.
- Understanding patient risk tolerance is crucial for shared decision-making in MS treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the risk tolerance (RT) of multiple sclerosis patients towards various therapeutic options.
- To identify patient characteristics associated with varying levels of risk acceptance for MS treatments.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed patients from the North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis (NARCOMS) Registry online cohort.
- Assessed risk tolerance using two scenarios: a hypothetical MS cure with a risk of death and natalizumab (NAT), a real-world therapy.
- Collected data on decision-making, risk tolerance, and patient demographics.
Main Results:
- The median risk tolerance for both scenarios was 1:10,000.
- 15-23% of patients were unwilling to accept any risk for therapy.
- Higher risk tolerance was linked to greater disability and not currently using MS therapy.
- Lower risk tolerance was associated with being female and caring for dependents.
Conclusions:
- Multiple sclerosis patients exhibit a broad spectrum of risk tolerance for therapies.
- Gender, age, disability level, and information-seeking behavior are significant predictors of risk tolerance in MS patients.