Table 1

Characteristics of patients and proxy respondents at baseline and follow-up

Baseline
 Follow-up

Patients
 Proxy respondents
 Patients
 Proxy respondents
Total
 59
 59
 56
 56
     Female (n)
 41
 19
 40
 17
Age (years)*
 47.8 (8.9)
 49.2 (9.0)
 50.6 (9.1)
 52.4 (9.9)
Years since MS onset*
 12.8 (7.2)
 -
 14.8 (7.4)
 -
Type of MS (n)



     Relapsing-remitting
 28
 -
 26
 -
     Secondary progressive
 19
 -
 18
 -
     Primary progressive
 10
 -
 10
 -
     Other
 2
 -
 2
 -
MSIS-29



     Physical scale*
 42.0 (24.1)
 42.8 (25.8)
 45.1 (25.3)
 50.0 (25.8)
     Psychological scale*
 29.0 (22.6)
 33.3 (22.5)
 30.1 (23.5)
 39.0 (24.4)





EDSS (median)
 4.5
 _
 5.5
 _





HADS (n, depression/anxiety)



     ≤ 7
 42/37
 _
 _
 _
     8–10
 7/10
 _
 _
 _
     ≥ 11
 10/12
 _
 _
 _





BRB-N (n)



     0 abnormal scores
 46
 _
 _
 _
     1–2 abnormal scores
 6
 _
 _
 _
     ≥3 abnormal scores
 5
 _
 _
 _
     Missing
 2
 _
 _
 _

*Values are mean (SD)

MSIS-29: Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale, EDSS: Expanded Disability Status Scale, HADS: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, BRB-N: Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests

van der Linden et al. BMC Neurology 2008 8:2   doi:10.1186/1471-2377-8-2