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Changes in disability in people with multiple sclerosis: a 10-year prospective study.
David Conradsson1,2, Charlotte Ytterberg3,4, Lena von Koch5,6
1Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 23100, Huddinge, 141 83, Stockholm, Sweden. david.conradsson.1@ki.se.
Journal of Neurology
|November 22, 2017
Summary
People with moderate/severe multiple sclerosis (MS) experience greater long-term disability increases over 10 years compared to those with mild MS. This highlights the need for interventions across all MS disease severities.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Long-term disability progression in multiple sclerosis (MS) related to disease severity is not well understood.
- Understanding this relationship is crucial for effective patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate 10-year changes in various aspects of disability among people with MS (PwMS).
- To compare disability progression between individuals with mild MS and moderate/severe MS based on baseline disease severity.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study of 155 PwMS was conducted over 10 years.
- Disease severity was assessed using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), categorizing participants into mild (EDSS 0-3.5) or moderate/severe (EDSS 4-9.5) groups.
- Changes in physical and psychological impacts, walking, cognition, manual dexterity, social participation, and depression were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Walking, manual dexterity, and cognition declined in both mild and moderate/severe MS groups.
- The moderate/severe MS group showed greater increases in physical impact, wheelchair dependency, and reduced social participation.
- Psychological impact declined in both groups, while depression signs decreased in the mild group and remained stable in the moderate/severe group.
Conclusions:
- Individuals with moderate/severe MS experienced a more significant increase in disability over 10 years compared to those with mild MS.
- Findings underscore the necessity for diverse interventions tailored to the full spectrum of MS disease severity.
