Background: Some studies on Multiple Sclerosis (MS) have suggested that adequate vitamin D intake can modulate the course of MS and decreases its incidence. However, there are limited studies with conflicting findings on the relation between MS severity, its course, and vitamin D intake.  Objectives: The current study aimed to compare vitamin D intake and sunlight exposure between MS phenotype...

BACKGROUND Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune demyelinating disease characterized by inflammation of white matter in the central nervous system. It has been indicated that this inflammation causes increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate if there is a possible association between inflammatory markers and the Expanded Disability Status Scale (ED...

INTRODUCTION Periodic relapses are one of the main characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS), from which recovery is often incomplete despite high-dose methylprednisolone (HDMP) treatment. The aim of our study was to evaluate the potential benefits of short-term HDMP combined with multidisciplinary rehabilitation (MDR) in persons with MS in relapse in order to assess whether combination of ste...

Background and aims: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system.The impact of the number of attacks on the disease is undeniable. The aim of this study was to analyze thenumber of attacks in these patients.Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, the registered data of 1840 MS patients referred to the MS clinicof Ayatollah Kash...

Disability status, depression and anxiety are important determinants of quality of life (QoL) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). We investigated whether anxiety and depression influence the relation between disability status and QoL in our cohort of recently diagnosed patients. Disability status [Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)], anxiety and depression [Hospital Anxiety and Depre...

One method of evaluating the degree of neurologic impairment in MS has been the combination of grades (0 = normal to 5 or 6 = maximal impairment) within 8 Functional Systems (FS) and an overall Disability Status Scale (DSS) that had steps from 0 (normal) to 10 (death due to MS). A new Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) is presented, with each of the former steps (1,2,3 . . . 9) now divided...

BACKGROUND To improve the consistency of standardized Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) assessments, an electronic data capture tool and analysis tool was developed, Neurostatus e-Scoring (NESC). This tool allows real-time feedback by comparing entries with established scoring rules. OBJECTIVE To test whether using NESC reduces inconsistencies as compared to the paper-and-pencil version...

BACKGROUND The Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC) provides a focused and sensitive evaluation of disability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) that may be more responsive to change than that provided by the Expanded Disability Status Scale. EXPERT CLINICAL OPINION The MSFC is a 3-part quantitative instrument that measures arm, leg, and cognitive function with the 9-Hole Peg ...

Recent studies have reported autonomic dysfunction (AD) in multiple sclerosis (MS), and bladder and/or bowel dysfunction, orthostatic hypotension, and cardiac adaptation disorders have been observed in a wide range of patients (15-80%). The primary aim of this study is to investigate the frequency and association of AD in MS patients, assessed by sympathetic skin response (SSR) and a symptoms q...

PURPOSE The aim is to explore the association between self-rated health and employment status in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) when controlling for age, gender, functional disability, disease duration, anxiety and depression. METHOD One hundred eighty-four people with MS completed a sociodemographic questionnaire that included questions on employment status, the first item of the Shor...