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Updated: Aug 29, 2025
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Improving Detection of Change in Motor Functioning in Multiple Sclerosis Using Video-Assisted Composite Measures
Ka-Hoo Lam1, Caspar E P van Munster1, Marcus D'Souza2
1Department of Neurology, MS Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands (CEPvM, K-HL, JB, JK, BU).
Background:
Assessing motor functioning is important to monitor the disease course of multiple sclerosis (MS). Video-assisted rating of classic neurologic tests and activities of daily living may improve the detection of changes in motor functioning. We investigated the value of using video-assisted composite measures for the detection of changes in mobility and upper extremity function (UEF).
Methods:
Forty-three patients with MS were recorded performing motor function tests before and during treatment with fampridine. Patients were classified as improved or not improved on mobility composite (MOB-COM) and UEF composite (UEF-COM) measures based on neurologists' ratings of the tests. The proportional agreements between the composite measures and the conventional measures-the Timed 25-Foot Walk test (T25FW) and the Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT)-were determined and compared with patient-perceived improvement, which was determined using patient-reported ratings of changes in mobility and UEF.
Results:
Agreement between MOB-COM and T25FW was 79.5%, and agreement between UEF-COM and NHPT was 82.1%. Twenty-six of 39 patients (66.7%) reported mobility improvement; 6 of these reports were confirmed by both T25FW and MOB-COM, 4 were confirmed by T25FW only, and 2 were confirmed by MOB-COM only. For UEF, 13 of 39 patients (33.3%) reported improvement; 3 of these were confirmed by the NHPT and 3 were confirmed by the UEF-COM.
Conclusions:
Compared with the conventional NHPT measure, the video-assisted composite measure of UEF detected additional patient-perceived improvement. This was less evident for mobility measures. Video-assisted composite measures may enhance the detection of treatment effects in MS clinical practice and trials.
