Predicting MS Explained

Recently there was a post on a predicting MS. You were asking how the MS calculator works based on the paper by Kister et al. Disability in multiple sclerosis: A reference for patients and clinicians. Neurology. 2013 Feb.

If you want to get the real graph and information, it is best that you download the paper, request it from your library or purchase a copy from the publisher. 

However to give you an indication here is adapatation of the calculator.

(1) You need to know how long you have had the disease 
      (0-45 years)

(2) Next you assess your level of disability 
      (so see below) 

(3) Work out how you are doing in relation the general population
In this version. Work out where you are

1= Normal
You may have some mild symptoms, mostly sensory, but they do not limit my activity. If you have relapse you return to normal.

2= Mild disability
You have some noticeable symptoms, but they are minor and have only a small effect on your lifestyle.

3= Moderate disability
You don’t have any limitations in your walking ability. However, you do have significant problems that limit daily activities in other ways.

4= Gait disability
MS does interfere with your activities, especially walking. You can work a full day, but athletic or physically demanding activities are more difficult than they used to be. You usually don’t need a cane or other assistance to walk, but you might need some assistance during an relapse.

5= Early cane
You use a cane or a single crutch or some other form of support
(such as touching a wall or leaning on someone’s arm) for walking all the time or part of the time, especially when walking outside. You think you  can walk 8m in 20 seconds without a cane or crutch. You always need some assistance (cane or crutch) if I want to walk as far as 300m.
 
6= Late cane:  
To walk 8m, you need a cane, crutch,or someone to hold onto. I can get around the house or other buildings by holding onto furniture or touching the walls for support. You may use a wheelchair if you want to go greater distances.
 
7= Support on both sides
To be able to walk as far as 8m you must have 2 canes or crutches or a walker. You may use a scooter or wheelchair for longer distances.

8= Wheelchair/scooter
You main form of mobility is a wheelchair. You may be able to stand and/or take 1 or 2 steps, but you can’t walk 8m, even with crutches or a walker.
 
9= Bedridden: Unable to sit in a wheelchair for more than 1 hour.

The Chart
Place a ruler from top to bottom at your disease duration, look in which layer you are based on your disability (i.e. 1 to 9). Then look at the percentage range for that level of disability. If you are below the thick black line at 50% then you are doing better than average or above the black line you are doing worse than average. The percentages give you an indication of how far from the average you are.

This study was based on studying a lot of North American, White, Females so if you are differnt colour and sex it may be different and in the age of new DMT then the course may be different also. It is a guide and only that

Please read the paper Kister et al. Disability in multiple sclerosis: A reference for patients and clinicians. Neurology. 2013 Feb.

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