Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40117985›Full record

ArticleMultiple sclerosis and related disorders2025

Validation of the Patient-Determined Disease Steps in ambulatory older adults with multiple sclerosis.

Robert C Leavenworth, Mark E Wagshul, Robert W Motl, Frederick W Foley, Roee Holtzer

Abstract readValidation Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Multiple sclerosis and related disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing 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

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Differential Associations Between Perceived Social Support and Cognition in Older Adults With and Without Multiple Sclerosis.Archives of clinical neuropsychology : the official journal of the National Academy of Neuropsychologists · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. 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

5 authors.

Robert C LeavenworthFerkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, USA.
Mark E WagshulDepartment of Radiology, Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
Robert W MotlDepartment of Kinesiology and Nutrition, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA.
Frederick W FoleyFerkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, USA; Multiple Sclerosis Center, Holy Name Medical Center, Teaneck, NJ, USA.
Roee HoltzerFerkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, USA; Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA. Electronic address: Roee.Holtzer@yu.edu.

Funding

Brain Predictors of Mobility and Falls in Older Adults with Multiple SclerosisR01NS109023 · NINDS · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · PI HOLTZER, ROEE · 2019 to 2023
$3.4M
NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS109023
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionMultiple sclerosis (MS) is increasingly prevalent among older adults, and this results in the cumulative effects of aging and MS on mobility disability. The Patient-Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) is a patient-reported outcome measure of mobility disability in adults with MS, but its validity has not been established in older adults. This study validated the PDDS in older adults with MS by examining correlations with conceptually-relevant objective and subjective measures, including neuroimaging markers.

methodsThe sample included older adults with MS (N = 87, mean age = 64.67 ± 4.24yrs, percent female = 65.5). Primary outcome measures for validation included the Timed 25-foot Walk (T25FW), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), University of Alabama at Birmingham Life-Space-Assessment scale (UAB-LSA), Nine-Hole Peg Test (9HPT), oral Symbol-Digit Modalities Test (Oral SDMT), and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Structural measures of brain integrity, evaluated via 3T MRI, included grey matter volumes (thalamus, caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, hippocampus), and total white matter lesion load (WMLL). Spearman correlations were used for analyses based on non-normality of the data.

resultsHigher PDDS scores were significantly correlated with slower walking speed (T25FW time: ρ= 0.664, p < .001), worse lower extremity functioning (SPPB: ρ= -0.540, p < .001), poor fine motor dexterity (9HPT time) bilaterally (dominant hand: ρ= 0.367, p < .001; non-dominant hand: ρ= 0.263, p= .014), worse fatigue (FSS: ρ= 0.383, p < .001), and lower community mobility (UAB-LSA: ρ= -0.586, p < .001). Higher PDDS scores were also associated with lower grey matter volume in the caudate (ρ= -0.218, p= .042), putamen (ρ= -0.226, p= .036), and hippocampus (ρ= -0.213, p= .047). There were no significant correlations with WMLL, Oral SDMT, or socio-demographic covariates.

conclusionThe PDDS is a valid self-report measure of MS-related disability in ambulatory older adults with MS.

Indexed as

Disability EvaluationMobility LimitationMultiple SclerosisPatient Reported Outcome MeasuresAgedFemaleGray MatterHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedWhite MatterDisabilityMultiple sclerosisPatient-reported outcomesValidation

Identifiers

PMID40117985
PMCPMC12065654

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.