Contributions
Abstract: EP1407
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - Clinical assessment tools
Background: Cognitive dysfunction is well-documented in the early stages of multiple sclerosis. The frequency varies between 20 % - 65 % across different studies. In a Norwegian project we aim to validate the Brief International Cognitive Assessment in Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) in a sample of MS patients diagnosed in 2014-2016, with onset of symptoms no more than 3 years previous to diagnosis. We aim to establish BICAMS as a screening tool to identify patients in need of intervention and/or adaptation regarding work or school.
Method: Processing speed, verbal and visual memory are cognitive functions known to be affected in MS patients, assessed in BICAMS by Symbol Digit Modality Test (SDMT), the learning part of both California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II) and Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised (BVMT-R), respectively. Fatigue, depression and anxiety are assessed by self-reports on the Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions (FSMC) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) prior to testing. In addition, the 9HPT, T25FW and a full neurological exam are performed to evaluate physical symptoms and EDSS-score. Healthy controls are tested with BICAMS and complete the HADS. Demographical data regarding employment and education are reported by the participants.
Results: Altogether 68 patients (44 female, 24 male, mean age 37) and 58 healthy controls (41 female, 17 male, mean age 38) were tested with BICAMS at baseline. A total of 31 healthy controls were randomly selected for retesting after 7-36 days (mean interval 19.5 days) after baseline. Both SDMT and BVMT-R achieved good test-retest reliability with r= 0.79 and r= 0.71, respectively. The CVLT achieved an adequate r-value of 0.67. The MS-patients showed a statistically significant difference compared to controls for CVLT (p=0.003) and BVMT-R (p= 0.022), but not for SDMT (p=0.778). With cognitive deficit defined as a test result lower than 1.5 standard deviations below the mean for the control group, 30.9 % of the patients show signs of cognitive deficit according to CVLT-II. Correspondingly 22.1 % were identified by BVMT-R and 10.3 % by SDMT.
Conclusion: The BICAMS seems to be a reliable test battery for screening cognitive deficit in Norwegian MS-patients. The results regarding the SDMT indicate that this may be the weakest part of this battery in contrast to other studies. Further analysis of data and validation procedures are ongoing.
Disclosure:
- E. Skorve has received speaker honoraria from Norvartis Norway.
- A. Lundervold has no conflict of interest
- Ø. Torkildsen has participated on a scientific advisory board for Biogen, Merck and Sanofi-Genzyme, and received speaker honoraria and travel grants from Sanofi-Genzyme, Merck, Novartis and Biogen.
- KM. Myhr has participated on scientific advisory, boards for Novartis Norway, Biogen and, Sanofi-Genzyme; received funding for travel from Teva; received speaker honoraria from Sanofi-Genzyme, Novartis, Merck, Biogen and Roche; and received unrestricted research support from, Sanofi-Genzyme, Novartis and Biogen.
- The project is partly funded by a research grant from Novartis Norway.
Abstract: EP1407
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - Clinical assessment tools
Background: Cognitive dysfunction is well-documented in the early stages of multiple sclerosis. The frequency varies between 20 % - 65 % across different studies. In a Norwegian project we aim to validate the Brief International Cognitive Assessment in Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) in a sample of MS patients diagnosed in 2014-2016, with onset of symptoms no more than 3 years previous to diagnosis. We aim to establish BICAMS as a screening tool to identify patients in need of intervention and/or adaptation regarding work or school.
Method: Processing speed, verbal and visual memory are cognitive functions known to be affected in MS patients, assessed in BICAMS by Symbol Digit Modality Test (SDMT), the learning part of both California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II) and Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised (BVMT-R), respectively. Fatigue, depression and anxiety are assessed by self-reports on the Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions (FSMC) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) prior to testing. In addition, the 9HPT, T25FW and a full neurological exam are performed to evaluate physical symptoms and EDSS-score. Healthy controls are tested with BICAMS and complete the HADS. Demographical data regarding employment and education are reported by the participants.
Results: Altogether 68 patients (44 female, 24 male, mean age 37) and 58 healthy controls (41 female, 17 male, mean age 38) were tested with BICAMS at baseline. A total of 31 healthy controls were randomly selected for retesting after 7-36 days (mean interval 19.5 days) after baseline. Both SDMT and BVMT-R achieved good test-retest reliability with r= 0.79 and r= 0.71, respectively. The CVLT achieved an adequate r-value of 0.67. The MS-patients showed a statistically significant difference compared to controls for CVLT (p=0.003) and BVMT-R (p= 0.022), but not for SDMT (p=0.778). With cognitive deficit defined as a test result lower than 1.5 standard deviations below the mean for the control group, 30.9 % of the patients show signs of cognitive deficit according to CVLT-II. Correspondingly 22.1 % were identified by BVMT-R and 10.3 % by SDMT.
Conclusion: The BICAMS seems to be a reliable test battery for screening cognitive deficit in Norwegian MS-patients. The results regarding the SDMT indicate that this may be the weakest part of this battery in contrast to other studies. Further analysis of data and validation procedures are ongoing.
Disclosure:
- E. Skorve has received speaker honoraria from Norvartis Norway.
- A. Lundervold has no conflict of interest
- Ø. Torkildsen has participated on a scientific advisory board for Biogen, Merck and Sanofi-Genzyme, and received speaker honoraria and travel grants from Sanofi-Genzyme, Merck, Novartis and Biogen.
- KM. Myhr has participated on scientific advisory, boards for Novartis Norway, Biogen and, Sanofi-Genzyme; received funding for travel from Teva; received speaker honoraria from Sanofi-Genzyme, Novartis, Merck, Biogen and Roche; and received unrestricted research support from, Sanofi-Genzyme, Novartis and Biogen.
- The project is partly funded by a research grant from Novartis Norway.