Objective: To determine which widely used disability measure in Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (QDP) shows the strongest association with patients' rating scores. Methods: Five disability scales and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) were assessed serially in 20 patients with newly diagnosed GBS (n=7) or CIDP (n=3). Also at each visit, the patient's condition was self-assessed as being worse, unchanged or better. Longitudinal regressions were carried out to determine the association between disability scales (independent variables) and SF-36 and patients' rating scores (dependent variables). Results: Higher associations with the SF-36 were found in the Overall Disability Sum Score (ODSS) than other disability measures. A higher correlation with ODSS changes was also found in the rating scores of the patients. Conclusion: In addition to literature findings, higher associations were found between Inflammatory Neuropathy Cause and Treatment Group ODSS and outcome assessed from patients' perceptions in immune-related polyneuropathies than in other commonly used disability scales.

doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.2005.076174, hdl.handle.net/1765/56710
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry: an international peer-reviewed journal for health professionals and researchers in all areas of neurology and neurosurgery
Department of Neurology

Merkies, I., & Schmitz, P. (2006). Getting closer to patients: The INCAT Overall Disability Sum Score relates better to patients' own clinical judgement in immune-mediated polyneuropathies. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry: an international peer-reviewed journal for health professionals and researchers in all areas of neurology and neurosurgery, 77(8), 970–972. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2005.076174