Source AJMC: For patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), upper extremity (UE) impairment is not uncommon. Although patients across MS types report impaired UE function, patients with primary progressive MS (PPMS) tend to have a higher prevalence of UE dysfunction and greater impairment.
A new study compared ocrelizumab with placebo in patients with PPMS to examine the effects of the therapy on confirmed progression and confirmed improvement in UE impairment. The results were published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal.
UE impairment can affect patients’ independence and quality of life, and UE dysfunction can also be associated with unemployment. “Therefore, objective quantitative assessment of UE functionality is critical for monitoring overall MS disease progression and evaluating the benefit of MS therapy,” the authors explained.
The researchers used the Nine-Hole Peg Test (9HPT), a component of the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite, to understand UE function. The 9PHT was administered at baseline and every 12 weeks until the end of the study and researchers tested both hands twice to determine the time it took to complete the test. Read on.
