Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) results in a wide range of disabilities. The effects of cognitive and motor dysfunctions are significant and affect level of functioning in people with MS.
Objective: The aim of the research was to determine the common contribution of neurological, motor and cognitive status to the overall functioning of MS patients.
Method: The sample consisted of 108 subjects with RRMS. The instruments used in the research included: The General Questionnaire, the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule, the Audio Recorded Cognitive Screen, Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test, the Nine Hole Peg Test, the 25 Foot Walk Test, and the Expanded Disability Status Scale.
Results: Subjects with a mild neurological deficit had a higher level of current functioning in all domains (a lower WHODAS 2.0 score) than subjects with a moderate neurological deficit (r=0.43, p<0.001). We found a positive correlation between the level of cognitive impairment and motor deficits of both upper and lower extremities and the level of neurological deficit (p<0.001). Subjects with lower neurological deficits had significantly lower WHODAS 2.0. scores, i.e. better motor abilities of both upper and lower extremities than subjects with moderate neurological deficits (p<0.001). The greatest contribution to explaining the overall level of current functioning of people with MS had subjects' age, cognitive abilities and motor abilities of the upper extremities.
Conclusion: Inverse relationship of neurological, motor and cognitive status affects the overall daily functioning of people with MS, requiring planning of comprehensive programs in the rehabilitation of people with MS.
Uvod: Multipla skleroza (MS) se kaže v širokem naboru nezmožnosti. Učinki kognitivnih in motoričnih nezmožnosti so znatni in vplivajo na stopnjo delovanja pri osebah z MS.
Namen: Cilj raziskave je določiti pogost doprinos nevrološkega, motoričnega in kognitivnega statusa k splošnemu delovanju bolnikov z MS.
Metode: Vzorec je vključeval 108 oseb z RRMS. Orodja, ki so bila uporabljena v raziskavi, so naslednja: Splošni vprašalnik (General Questionnaire), Lestvica ocenjevanja zmanjšanih zmožnosti (WHODAS), presejalni test Audio Recorded Cognitive Screen (ARCS), test Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), Test devetih zatičev (Nine Hole Peg Test), test časovno omejene hoje 25 Foot Walk Test in Razširjena lestvica stopnje prizadetosti (Expanded Disability Status Scale, EDSS).
Rezultati: Osebe z blago obliko nevrološke pomanjkljivosti so pokazale višjo stopnjo trenutnega delovanja na vseh področjih (nižji rezultat WHODAS 2.0) kot osebe z zmerno nevrološko pomanjkljivostjo (r = 0,43, p < 0,001). Med stopnjami kognitivne prizadetosti in motorične pomanjkljivosti obeh zgornjih in spodnjih okončin ter stopnjo nevrološke pomanjkljivosti smo odkrili pozitivno korelacijo (p < 0,001). Osebe z nižjo nevrološko pomanjkljivostjo so imele občutno nižje rezultate vprašalnika WHODAS 2.0, tj. boljše motorične sposobnosti obeh zgornjih in spodnjih okončin kot osebe z zmerno nevrološko pomanjkljivostjo (p < 0,001). Največji doprinos k pojasnjevanju splošne stopnje trenutnega delovanja oseb z MS so imele starost oseb, njihove kognitivne sposobnosti in motorične sposobnosti zgornjih okončin.
Zaključek: Inverzni odnos nevrološkega, motoričnega in kognitivnega statusa splošno vpliva na vsakodnevno delovanje oseb z MS, zahteva načrtovanje celostnih programov pri rehabilitaciji oseb z MS.
Keywords: cognitive abilities; functional status; motor abilities; multiple sclerosis.