COMPARISON OF PATIENT AND STAFF ASSESSMENT OF MS PATIENTS HEALTH-STATUS

This study compared change scores obtained on patient self-reported sy mptoms (MS-RS) with the neurological examination of the Kurtzke Functi onal Systems (FS) and change scores obtained on patient self-reported activities of daily living (ADL-MS) with the neurologist-determined Ex panded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) that were obtained from two sepa rate times separated by approximately seven months for 100 patients wi th multiple sclerosis. Percent agreement based on less-than-or-equal-t o 1 unit difference between patient and neurologists' change scores (T ime 2-Time 1) ranged between 73% and 86% for MS-RS and FS measures and was 72% for ADL-MS and EDSS. Together, the ADL and MS-RS patient self -report scales provide health status information from the patient's pe rspective that can be useful in guiding the physical examination, in m aking comparisons from visit to visit and/or between visits, in assess ing patients' quality of life, and in increasing patient satisfaction with medical care.