Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38539132›Full record

ArticleBMC neurology2024

Delays in Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis (DIMES): protocol for a multicentre, observational study of multiple sclerosis diagnostic pathways in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

Ashvin Kuri, David E Henshall, Daoud Chaudhry, Setthasorn Zhi Yang Ooi, Qiqi Zhang, Joela Mathews, Alison Thomson, David Rog, Jeremy Hobart, Ruth Dobson and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC neurology, 2024. 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. 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

11 authors.

Ashvin KuriWolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK. ha17192@qmul.ac.uk.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0125-4806
David E HenshallNeurology and Neurosurgery Interest Group (NANSIG), London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7377-3969
Daoud ChaudhryNeurology and Neurosurgery Interest Group (NANSIG), London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2935-506X
Setthasorn Zhi Yang OoiNeurology and Neurosurgery Interest Group (NANSIG), London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7097-0948
Qiqi ZhangWolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5746-2789
Joela MathewsDepartment of Neurology, Royal London Hospital, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1945-1851
Alison ThomsonWolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9299-0130
David RogDepartment of Neurology, Manchester Centre for Clinical Neurosciences, Salford, Manchester, M6 8HD, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7262-4248
Jeremy HobartPeninsula Medical School, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL6 8BT, Great Britain.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2114-7920
Ruth DobsonWolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2993-585X
Neurology and Neurosurgery Interest Group (NANSIG)

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a leading cause of non-traumatic disability in young adults. Accumulating evidence indicates early diagnosis and early treatment improves long-term outcomes. However, the MS diagnostic pathway is increasingly complex, and delays may occur at several stages. Factors causing delays remain understudied. We aim to quantify the time taken for MS to be diagnosed, and characterise the diagnostic pathway and initial care provided, in the United Kingdom (UK) and Republic of Ireland (ROI).

methodsDelays In MultiplE Sclerosis diagnosis (DIMES) in the UK and ROI is a multicentre, observational, retrospective study that will be conducted via the Neurology and Neurosurgery Interest Group (NANSIG) collaborative network. Any hospital in the UK and ROI providing an MS diagnostic service is eligible to participate. Data on consecutive individuals newly diagnosed with MS between 1st July 2022 and 31st December 2022 will be collected. The primary outcomes are 1) time from symptoms/signs prompting referral to neurology, to MS diagnosis; and 2) time from referral to neurology for suspected MS, to MS diagnosis. Secondary outcomes include: MS symptoms, referring specialties, investigations performed, neurology appointments, functional status, use of disease modifying treatments, and support at diagnosis including physical activity, and follow up. Demographic characteristics of people newly diagnosed with MS will be summarised, adherence to quality standards summarised as percentages, and time-to-event variables presented with survival curves. Multivariable models will be used to investigate the association of demographic and clinical factors with time to MS diagnosis, as defined in our primary outcomes. DISCUSSION: DIMES aims to be the largest multicentre study of the MS diagnostic pathway in the UK and ROI. The proposed data collection provides insights that cannot be provided from contemporary registries, and the findings will inform approaches to MS services nationally in the future.

Indexed as

Multiple SclerosisHumansIrelandMulticenter Studies as TopicObservational Studies as TopicRetrospective StudiesUnited KingdomYoung AdultDiagnostic pathwaysHealthcare servicesMultiple Sclerosis

Identifiers

PMID38539132
PMCPMC10976685

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Registered trials

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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.