[Comparison of methods for assessing the severity of multiple sclerosis based on a sample of patients from the Moscow...

Comparative characteristics of the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) based on the MSSS (Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score) and ARMSS (Age Related Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score) scales in the Russian population using a sample of patients from the Moscow region as an example.

The study included 549 patients with relapsing-remitting MS. For each patient, the MS severity was evaluated using the MSSS and ARMSS scales before the start of therapy with multiple sclerosis disease-modifying drugs (MSDMD), and during treatment with MSDMD (Copaxone or interferon-beta), the duration of treatment was 3.5±2.7 years. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the EDSS, MSSS, and ARMSS scores before and after MSDMD treatment, as well as between male and female patients.

During treatment, the value of the median MSSS significantly decreased (3.69 vs. 3.17, p<0.0001), while ARMSS remained virtually unchanged (5.02 vs. 4.85, p>0.05). When analyzing the distribution of patients by the median values of MSSS and ARMSS before treatment with MSDMD, groups with milder and more severe MS were formed. Only about 74% of patients were assigned to the same groups according to both scales. Moderate correlation between MSSS and ARMSS scores was shown (r<0.7). Before the treatment, MS severity differed significantly between males and females according to both scales (p=0.030 and p=0.0016, respectively), and during treatment, these differences persisted only with ARMSS (p=0.0065).

The MS severity scores assessed using the MSSS and ARMSS were not identical, and the therapeutic effect of MSDMD treatment was considered differently. The sex-specific differences in the rate of MS progression should be considered in clinical and research studies.