ArticleBMC neurology2013
The multiple sclerosis relapse experience: patient-reported outcomes from the North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis (NARCOMS) Registry.
Article in BMC neurology, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03004079 (Assessment of the Clinical Importance of Insulin Resistance & Steroid-Associated Hyperglycemia in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis), which is not on this map. Cited by 13 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Assessment of the Clinical Importance of Insulin Resistance & Steroid-Associated Hyperglycemia in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis
Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 37 citations in OpenAlex.
- Infection, Relapses, and Pseudo-Relapses in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis.Neurology. Clinical practice · 2025Article
- Multiple sclerosis subgroups: Data-driven clusters based on patient-reported outcomes and a large clinical sample.Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England) · 2024Article
- Corticosteroid-depending effects on peripheral immune cell subsets vary according to disease modifying strategies in multiple sclerosis.Frontiers in immunology · 2024Article
- Multiple sclerosis: Immunopathological heterogeneity and its implications.European journal of immunology · 2022Review
- Harnessing Real-World Data to Inform Decision-Making: Multiple Sclerosis Partners Advancing Technology and Health Solutions (MS PATHS).Frontiers in neurology · 2020Article
- Can We Improve the Monitoring of People With Multiple Sclerosis Using Simple Tools, Data Sharing, and Patient Engagement?Frontiers in neurology · 2020Article
- Relation between Heart Rate Variability and Disease Course in Multiple Sclerosis.Journal of clinical medicine · 2019Article
- Treatment Effectiveness for Resolution of Multiple Sclerosis Relapse in a US Health Plan Population.Neurology and therapy · 2019Article
- Efficacy, safety, and quality-of-life of treatments for acute relapses of multiple sclerosis: results from a literature review of randomized controlled trials.Degenerative neurological and neuromuscular disease · 2019Article
- Glucocorticoid-associated blood glucose response and MS relapse recovery.Neurology(R) neuroimmunology & neuroinflammation · 2017Article
- Telemedicine for Monitoring MS Activity and Progression.Current treatment options in neurology · 2015Article
- Mechanisms of action of ACTH in the management of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis.Therapeutic advances in neurological disorders · 2014Review
- Effect of Health Care Providers' Focused Discussion and Proactive Education About Relapse Management on Patient Reporting of Multiple Sclerosis Relapse.International journal of MS careArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAmong patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, relapses are associated with increased disability and decreased quality of life. Relapses are commonly treated with corticosteroids or left untreated. We aimed to better understand patient perceptions of the adequacy of corticosteroids in resolving relapse symptoms.
methodsWe examined self-reported data from 4482 participants in the North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis (NARCOMS) Registry regarding evaluation, treatment, and recovery from relapses. Pearson's chi-square test was used to analyze categorical variables, while logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with patients' perceptions.
resultsForty percent (1775/4482) of respondents were simply observed for disease worsening, whereas 25% (1133/4482) were treated with intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) and 20% (923/4482) with oral corticosteroids; additional treatments included adrenocorticotropic hormone, plasmapheresis, intravenous immunoglobulin, and others. Among patients who responded to questions about their most recent relapse, 32% (363/1123) of IVMP-treated and 34% (301/895) of oral corticosteroid-treated patients indicated their symptoms were worse one month after treatment than pre-relapse, as did 39% (612/1574) of observation-only patients; 30% (335/1122) of IVMP-treated patients indicated their treatment made relapse symptoms worse (13% [145/1122]) or had no effect (17% [190/1122]), as did 38% (340/894) of oral corticosteroid-treated patients (worse, 13% [116/894]; no effect, 25% [224/894]) and 76% (1162/1514) of observation-only patients (worse, 17% [264/1514]; no change, 59% [898/1514]).
conclusionsOverall, patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis who receive treatment report better outcomes than those who are simply observed. However, a sizeable percentage of patients feel that their symptoms following corticosteroid treatment are worse than pre-relapse symptoms and that treatment had no effect or worsened symptoms. Patient perceptions of relapse treatment deserve more attention, and more effective treatment options are needed.
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