Kessler Foundation Research Center, West Orange, USA.
Mult Scler. 2014 Jan;20(1):112-5. doi: 10.1177/1352458513488235. Epub 2013 May 1.
Unemployment is a significant concern among individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Determinations regarding ability to work are highly dependent on measurement tools used by neurologists and allied professionals. However, little is known of the usefulness of these tools when determining issues pertaining to employment status. The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the utility of the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC) and a brief cognitive test battery when examining employment status in MS. Seventy-seven individuals with MS completed the MSFC and a brief cognitive test battery. On the MSFC, unemployed individuals demonstrated worse upper extremity functioning. There was no difference on the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT), the sole cognitive measure of the MSFC. On cognitive testing, unemployed individuals performed worse on measures of memory, information processing speed, and executive functioning. Through logistic regression analysis, the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) was found to be the sole predictor of employment status among the significant disease, MSFC and cognitive variables. Consistent with previous findings, logistic regression found the SDMT to be a significant predictor of employment status. Given the lack of significant group differences on the PASAT, continued consideration of replacing the PASAT with the SDMT in the MSFC appears warranted.
失业是多发性硬化症（MS）患者关注的一个重要问题。能否工作的判定高度依赖于神经科医生和相关专业人士使用的测量工具。然而，关于这些工具在确定与就业状况相关的问题时的有用性，我们知之甚少。本研究的目的是检验多发性硬化功能综合评估（MSFC）和简短认知测试组合在 MS 患者就业状况评估中的效用。77 名 MS 患者完成了 MSFC 和简短认知测试组合。在 MSFC 上，失业者上肢功能较差。Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task（PASAT）是 MSFC 唯一的认知测试，二者之间没有差异。在认知测试中，失业者在记忆、信息处理速度和执行功能方面的表现较差。通过逻辑回归分析，发现 Symbol Digit Modalities Test（SDMT）是 MS 患者显著疾病、MSFC 和认知变量中唯一能预测就业状况的因素。与先前的发现一致，逻辑回归发现 SDMT 是就业状况的重要预测因素。鉴于 PASAT 无显著组间差异，继续考虑用 SDMT 替代 MSFC 中的 PASAT 似乎是合理的。
