Contributions
Abstract: EP1319
Type: ePoster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - 3 Paediatric MS
Objective: To assess changes in cognitive, academic, and adaptive functioning in pediatric onset multiple sclerosis (POMS). Studies demonstrate early weaknesses in attention and fine motor ability but investigations of functional outcomes including academic and adaptive functioning are limited.
Methods: 18 children/adolescents with POMS underwent initial and follow-up neuropsychological evaluations. Impairment was defined as > 1 standard deviation below published normative data. 72 percent were female. Ethnicity was 39% Hispanic, 28% African American, 33% Caucasian. Mean age of onset was 12.6 years. Mean time from symptom onset to initial neuropsychological evaluation was 1.36 years ± 1.2 and 3.2 ± 1.2 years at follow-up. Minimal physical disability accrued from initial evaluation (mean EDSS = .44) to follow-up (mean EDSS = .35). All received disease modifying therapy.
Results: Consistent with the literature, cognitive impairment rate was 33% initially and at follow-up. Mild impairments were noted in visual-motor integration (initial SS = 80 ± 16, follow-up SS= 75 ± 12) and attention (initial T = 61 ± 30, follow-up T = 62 ± 17.6).
Parents reported inattention (initial T = 62 ± 8; follow-up T= 64 ± 6.2) and lower adaptive functioning (initial SS = 82 ± 10, follow-up SS = 81.9 ± 12.5).
Multiple regression analysis revealed that 86 percent of the variance in adaptive functioning was accounted by a model including self-report anxiety/depression, attention, and fine motor ability (F= 6.4, p = .04).
Conclusion: Consistent with the literature, early weaknesses in attention and visual-motor ability were noted and remained stable. Academic functioning remained in the Average range, despite mild cognitive weaknesses and increased school absences. Adaptive functioning was below age-expected levels early and remained low at follow-up. Adaptive functioning was predicted by self-report of anxiety/depression, attention, and fine motor ability.
Disclosure: Karen D. Evankovich, Ph.D: nothing to disclose
Kathleen Kingery, MA: nothing to disclose
Nikita Shukla, MD: nothing to disclose
Timothy E. Lotze, MD: nothing to disclose
Abstract: EP1319
Type: ePoster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - 3 Paediatric MS
Objective: To assess changes in cognitive, academic, and adaptive functioning in pediatric onset multiple sclerosis (POMS). Studies demonstrate early weaknesses in attention and fine motor ability but investigations of functional outcomes including academic and adaptive functioning are limited.
Methods: 18 children/adolescents with POMS underwent initial and follow-up neuropsychological evaluations. Impairment was defined as > 1 standard deviation below published normative data. 72 percent were female. Ethnicity was 39% Hispanic, 28% African American, 33% Caucasian. Mean age of onset was 12.6 years. Mean time from symptom onset to initial neuropsychological evaluation was 1.36 years ± 1.2 and 3.2 ± 1.2 years at follow-up. Minimal physical disability accrued from initial evaluation (mean EDSS = .44) to follow-up (mean EDSS = .35). All received disease modifying therapy.
Results: Consistent with the literature, cognitive impairment rate was 33% initially and at follow-up. Mild impairments were noted in visual-motor integration (initial SS = 80 ± 16, follow-up SS= 75 ± 12) and attention (initial T = 61 ± 30, follow-up T = 62 ± 17.6).
Parents reported inattention (initial T = 62 ± 8; follow-up T= 64 ± 6.2) and lower adaptive functioning (initial SS = 82 ± 10, follow-up SS = 81.9 ± 12.5).
Multiple regression analysis revealed that 86 percent of the variance in adaptive functioning was accounted by a model including self-report anxiety/depression, attention, and fine motor ability (F= 6.4, p = .04).
Conclusion: Consistent with the literature, early weaknesses in attention and visual-motor ability were noted and remained stable. Academic functioning remained in the Average range, despite mild cognitive weaknesses and increased school absences. Adaptive functioning was below age-expected levels early and remained low at follow-up. Adaptive functioning was predicted by self-report of anxiety/depression, attention, and fine motor ability.
Disclosure: Karen D. Evankovich, Ph.D: nothing to disclose
Kathleen Kingery, MA: nothing to disclose
Nikita Shukla, MD: nothing to disclose
Timothy E. Lotze, MD: nothing to disclose