Multiple sclerosis functional composite explained

The Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC) is a clinical trial outcome measure of assessing the severity of multiple sclerosis primarily used in research.^[1] The score is based on a combination of timed tests of walking, arm function, and cognitive ability.^[1] It was developed over two years from 1994 to 1996 by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.^{[1] [2]}

MSFC was developed to improve the standard measure of MS disability for clinical trials and to create a multidimensional metric of overall MS clinical status. The evaluation includes a three-part performance scale:

• Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25FT) - assessment of leg function by moving a short walking distance
• 9-Hole Peg Test (9HPT) - assessment of arm function using breadboard test
• Paced Auditory Serial Addition test (PASAT) - attention/concentration test to assess cognitive functions

An integrated MSFC score is calculated using z-scores.^[3]

Notes and References

1. Rudick RA, Cutter G, Reingold S . 31529508 . The multiple sclerosis functional composite: a new clinical outcome measure for multiple sderosis trials . Multiple Sclerosis . 8 . 5 . 359–65 . October 2002 . 12356200 . 10.1191/1352458502ms845oa .
2. Balcer LJ, Baier ML, Cohen JA, Kooijmans MF, Sandrock AW, Nano-Schiavi ML, Pfohl DC, Mills M, Bowen J, Ford C, Heidenreich FR, Jacobs DA, Markowitz CE, Stuart WH, Ying GS, Galetta SL, Maguire MG, Cutter GR . 17583827 . 6 . Contrast letter acuity as a visual component for the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite . Neurology . 61 . 10 . 1367–73 . November 2003 . 14638957 . 10.1212/01.WNL.0000094315.19931.90 .
3. Meyer-Moock S, Feng YS, Maeurer M, Dippel FW, Kohlmann T . Systematic literature review and validity evaluation of the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC) in patients with multiple sclerosis . BMC Neurology . 14 . 1 . 58 . March 2014 . 24666846 . 3986942 . 10.1186/1471-2377-14-58 . free .