Table 2.
Comparison of demographic and clinical factors between participant- and physician-initiated switchers
| Participant-initiated (n=146) | Physician-initiated (n=148) | P-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female, n (%) | 118 (81) | 127 (86) | 0.25 |
| Caucasian, n (%) | 124 (96) | 130 (98) | 0.45 |
| Age (years), mean (SD) | 51.7 (8.9) | 51.4 (10.5) | 0.79 |
| Disease duration (years), mean (SD) | 13.5 (7.3) | 13.7 (9.4) | 0.81 |
| PDDS score, n (%) | |||
| 0 (normal) | 15 (10) | 15 (10) | 0.19 |
| 1 (mild disability) | 18 (12) | 20 (14) | |
| 2 (moderate disability) | 18 (12) | 9 (6) | |
| 3 (gait disability) | 26 (18) | 21 (14) | |
| 4 (early cane) | 30 (21) | 37 (25) | |
| 5 (late cane) | 21 (14) | 15 (10) | |
| 6 (bilateral support) | 13 (9) | 19 (13) | |
| 7 (wheelchair/scooter) | 5 (3) | 12 (8) | |
| Physician managing MS, n (%) | |||
| Neurologist, MS specialist | 102 (71) | 100 (68) | 0.06 |
| Neurologist, non-MS specialist | 30 (21) | 24 (16) | |
| Primary care physician | 9 (6) | 10 (7) | |
| Other | 3 (2) | 13 (9) | |
| DMT switched to, n (%) | |||
| First-line injectable | 48 (33) | 56 (38) | 0.03 |
| Infusion therapy | 27 (18) | 41 (28) | |
| Oral DMT | 71 (49) | 51 (34) | |
| Past DMTs, n (%) | |||
| First-line injectable | 106 (75) | 109 (75) | 0.62 |
| Infusion therapy | 23 (16) | 27 (19) | |
| Oral DMT | 4 (3) | 5 (3) | |
| Other | 8 (6) | 4 (3) | |
| Main reason for switching, n (%) | |||
| Doctor’s recommendation | 16 (11.0) | 58 (39.2) | 0.27 |
| Side effect profile | 16 (11.0) | 11 (7.4) | |
| Dislike of injections/infusions | 25 (17.1) | 7 (4.7) | |
| Efficacy | 20 (13.7) | 19 (12.8) | |
| Safety | 7 (4.8) | 7 (4.7) | |
| Results of JCV antibody test | 1 (0.7) | 6 (4.1) | |
| Convenience | 11 (7.5) | 2 (1.4) | |
| Cost | 1 (0.7) | 1 (0.7) | |
| Insurance coverage | 1 (0.7) | 3 (2.0) | |
| Nothing else available | 5 (3.4) | 8 (5.4) | |
| Other | 21 (14.4) | 11 (7.4) | |
| Multiple answered | 21 (14.4) | 14 (9.5) | |
| Not answered | 1 (0.7) | 1 (0.7) | |
Abbreviations: JCV, John Cunningham virus; DMT, disease-modifying therapy; MS, multiple sclerosis; PDDS, Patient-Determined Disease Steps; SD, standard deviation.