Developing and Testing a Comprehensive MS Spasticity Management Program

The MSWS-12 is a clinically validated and reliable tool that is flexible and simple enough to use clinically and in research. It captures patients' perspectives on their ambulatory disability on the following: standing, ability to run, need for support, moving around the home, concentration needed to walk, walking speed, maintaining balance, climbing stairs, walking distance, effort needed to walk, ability to walk, and gait. It is simple to administer and responsive to changes in patient performance over time. Individual items are scored on a 5 point Likert scale: 1 (Not at all), 2 (A little), 3 (Moderately), 4 (Quite a bit), 5 (Extremely). A total score is generated and reported on a 0 to 100 scale by subtracting the minimum score possible (12) from the patient's score, dividing by the maximum score possible minus the minimum possible (60-12, or 48), and multiplying. Higher values represent a worse outcome and greater disability.

The time to walk 25 feet is strongly related to its ordinal counterpart the Ambulation Index (Spearman r=0.91) without the variability the ordinal scale reflects. The time is measured and recorded in seconds how long it takes for the participant to walk 25 feet.

The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test measures the time in seconds it takes to get up from a chair, walk 10 feet, turn around and return to sit in the chair. The best score of the two attempts was analyzed.

The subject walks without assistance of another person for 2 minutes. The distance in feet the individual was able to walk in 2 minutes is then measured.

This self-report retrospective questionnaire measures fatigue symptoms. It consists of 21 items scored 0-4 for a total score between 0 and 84 and has a coefficient alpha of 0.81. Lower scores on the MFIS indicate less fatigue.

The MSIS-29 is designed to measure the physical and psychological impact of MS. Each subscale summed separately. No total calculated. Scores transformed to have a range of 0-100. Lower scores indicate less impact, higher scores indicate higher impact.

The modified Ashworth Scale is a standard clinical and research method to quantify spasticity. Each of the 6 leg groups is given a scale of 0-4. 0 - Normal. No increase in muscle tone. - Mild. Barely increased muscle tone. (catch) - Moderate. Moderately increased muscle tone that can be overcome and full range of motion is possible. (catch and resistance) - Severe. Severely increased muscle tone that is extremely difficult to overcome and full range of motion is not possible. (resistance and stop) - Contracted. All groups are summed for a total score for each side of the body. Higher scores indicate greater spasticity. Lowest possible score is a 0 whereas the highest possible score for each side is 24.

The modified MSSS-88 is a standardized self-report questionnaire to quantify subject's impact of the effects of spasticity. The 88 questions each have a possible score of 1-4. All questions are totaled for a final total scores. Higher scores indicate greater spasticity. The lowest score is 88 and the highest possible is 352.

The BDI-II is a standardized self-report questionnaire to quantify depression. The BDI-II contains 21 questions, each answer being scored on a scale value of 0 to 3. Answers to 21 questions added together. Higher scores indicate greater depression. Lowest possible score is a 0 whereas highest 63.