Validation of 0–10 MS symptom scores in the Australian multiple sclerosis longitudinal study

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) symptom measurements often use multiple-item scales per symptom, creating a high burden when multiple symptoms are assessed. We aimed to examine the validity, stability and responsiveness of single-item 0–10 numeric rating MS Symptom Scores (MSSymS). Methods: The study included 1,985 participants from the Australian Multiple Sclerosis Longitudinal Study. Thirteen MS symptoms were assessed using the MSSymS, of which we were able to validate six (walking difficulties, fatigue, pain, feelings of anxiety, feelings of depression and vision problems). Comparison measures included Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Hospital Anx..