Field testing of a minimal record of disability in multiple sclerosis: the United States and Canada

The IFMSS Minimal Record of Disability (MRD) in Multiple Sclerosis was field tested at eight medical centers in the U.S. and Canada. The goals were to conduct a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the MRD. Assessment were completed on 249 patients with definite MS by neurologists and allied health professionals. Effective administration required some study and practice. Refinement of some unclear wording and awkward format will improve ease of administration. The MRD fit well into clinic routines and was accepted by staff and patients. Scoring presented few problems and these were related to overlap among the MRD scales, poor wording, and content not appropriate to MS. Quantitative evaluation of the MRD indicated that Incapacity Status primarily reflects disability in mobility and self-care when used as a composite score. Heterogeneity of content in Incapacity Status suggests that summed scores be used cautiously. Both Incapacity and Environmental Status had high levels of reliability and high correlations with established measures of impairment in MS. Inter-rater agreement of the ISS and ESS were also high. Once some necessary revisions are made, the MRD should be well on its way to achieving the IFMSS goal of developing a brief, reliable, valid, and appropriate instrument acceptable to a wide variety of workers in MS.