Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38213677›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of MS care

Reasons Patients With Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Contact Their Specialist Nurses.

Rosaline van den Berg, Katelijn Blok, Nura Tebayna, Monique van Dijk, Joost van Rosmalen, Janet de Beukelaar

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of MS care. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Needs, experiences, and knowledge of people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis: a scoping review.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Rosaline van den BergFrom the Department of Neurology, Multiple Sclerosis Center (RvdB, KB, NT, JdB) and the Science Office (RvdB), Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Dordrecht, the Netherlands.
Katelijn BlokFrom the Department of Neurology, Multiple Sclerosis Center (RvdB, KB, NT, JdB) and the Science Office (RvdB), Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Dordrecht, the Netherlands.
Nura TebaynaFrom the Department of Neurology, Multiple Sclerosis Center (RvdB, KB, NT, JdB) and the Science Office (RvdB), Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Dordrecht, the Netherlands.
Monique van DijkNursing Science Section of the Department of Internal Medicine (MvD).
Joost van RosmalenDepartment of Biostatistics (JvR), and Department of Epidemiology (JvR).
Janet de BeukelaarErasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9187-244X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundQuestions asked by patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) during patient-initiated MS nurse consultations may contain salient information that can help health care providers understand their needs, which, in turn, can help tailor counseling and treatment.

methodsRecords of all patients with PPMS visiting the MS center of a large teaching hospital in the Netherlands between January 2007 and January 2021 were studied retrospectively. Number and type (scheduled or patient initiated) of MS nurse consultations, reasons for consultations (in prespecified categories), and frequency of subsequent referrals were registered. Association between factors (living with partner, Expanded Disability Status Scale score, comorbidities, age, sex) and number of patient-initiated consultations was studied using negative binomial regression analysis.

resultsIn total, 98 patients with PPMS were included, with 720 MS nurse consultations during follow-up (median duration, 8.1 years), of which 274 (38%) were patient initiated. Patients had a broad spectrum of reasons to contact MS nurses. The most common categories were treatment (36%) and micturition and defecation (31%). Patients living without a partner (incidence rate ratio, 2.340; 95% CI, 1.057-5.178) and male patients (incidence rate ratio, 1.890; 95% CI, 0.925-3.861) consulted MS nurses more frequently. The MS nurses made 146 referrals (20% of all contacts); 59 were after patient-initiated consultation (22%). The most frequent referrals were to neurologists, urologists, and rehabilitation specialists.

conclusionsMultiple sclerosis nurses have a pivotal role in PPMS care, especially for patients living without a partner and male patients. Recurring questions about (new) treatment options illustrate the pressing need for highly effective treatment. Micturition and defecation problems are also a considerable concern and warrant close monitoring.

Indexed as

frequent contact reasonsMS specialist nurse careprimary progressive multiple sclerosistherapy-related questions

Identifiers

PMID38213677
PMCPMC10779713

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.