Bratisl Lek Listy 2001;102(8):370-1
Benesova Y, Niedermayerova I.
Dept of Neurology, University Hospital
Brno-Bohunice, Jihlavska 20, CZ-639 00 Brno, Czech Republic.
The authors used a new method of evaluating clinical disability--Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC).
Three quantitative tests, for the upper, lower extremities and cognitive functions, were used in 90 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.
The correlation between these results and Expanded Disability Status (EDSS) has shown that in slightly disabled patients there was achieved relatively high correlation especially for the upper extremities function.
Their function remains saved for comparatively a long time. During the gradual deterioration of clinical status high correlation between the severity of disability and lower extremities function was achieved.
The lowest degree of correlation was observed in cognitive functions, which are monitored more senzitively by MSFC method than by EDSS.
The best correlation was revealed
in seriously disabled group, not in slight and moderate affections, because
EDSS evaluates these functions only marginally and cannot catch discover
the beginning of the cognitive deficit.
PMID: 11763667 [PubMed - in process]