Finnish Registry-Based Protocol for Screening and Management of Fatigue and Cognitive Problems in Multiple Sclerosis:...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Digital Health
• Patient Registries

Background:

• Digital patient registries are underutilized for managing chronic disease symptoms.
• Monitoring long-term diseases effectively requires robust symptom management strategies.
• The potential of digital registries in enhancing patient care for chronic conditions is significant.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a Finnish registry-based protocol for screening and managing cognitive symptoms and fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.
• To present initial data from the first two years of the protocol's operation.
• To assess the correlation between cognitive function, fatigue, and quality of life in MS patients.

Main Methods:

• Introduction of an annual screening protocol in the Finnish MS registry for cognition, fatigue, disease severity, and quality of life (QoL).
• Utilized validated instruments: Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Multiple Sclerosis Neuropsychological Questionnaire (MSNQ), Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions (FSMC), and Euro QoL-5 Dimension.
• Provided patients with feedback reports based on FSMC and MSNQ results to aid symptom management.

Main Results:

• Data collected from 430 patients between 2021 and 2022.
• High participation rates for FSMC (76.5%) and MSNQ (40.0%), with lower rates for SDMT (20%).
• Significant correlations found between SDMT, MSNQ, FSMC, and QoL, indicating the impact of cognitive function and fatigue on patient well-being.

Conclusions:

• Cognitive problems and fatigue significantly affect the quality of life in MS patients.
• Patient-reported outcomes for cognitive issues and fatigue were more frequent than objective processing speed evaluations.
• While the Finnish MS registry provides a platform for systematic screening, enhanced training is required for effective protocol implementation.