Table 4.
Description of components of the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC)
| Original components | |
|---|---|
| Timed 25-foot walk test (T25W) | The patient is directed to one end of a clearly marked 25-foot course and is instructed to walk 25 feet as quickly as possible, but safely. The task is immediately administered again by having the patient walk back the same distance. Patients may use assistive devices when doing this task. In clinical trials, it is recommended that the treating neurologist select the appropriate assistive device for each patient [42] |
| Nine-hole peg test (9HPT) | The patient is asked to take nine small pegs one by one from a small shallow container, place them into nine holes and then remove them and place them back into the container. Results are depicted in seconds to complete the task of both the dominant and non-dominant hand; two trials for each side [42] |
| Paced auditory serial addition task (PASAT) | The PASAT is presented on audiocassette tape or compact disc to control the rate of stimulus presentation. Single digits are presented either every 3 s (or every 2 s for the optional 2-second PASAT) and the patient must add each new digit to the one immediately prior to it. The test score is the number of correct sums given (out of 60 possible) in each trial. To minimize familiarity with stimulus items in clinical trials and other serial studies, two alternate forms have been developed; the order of these should be counterbalanced across testing sessions. The PASAT is the last measure of the MSFC that is administered at each visit [42] |
| Candidate components | |
|---|---|
| Symbol digit modalities test (SDMT) | Patients are presented with a key that includes nine numbers, each paired with a different symbol. Below this key is an array of these same symbols in pseudo-random order paired with empty spaces. Patients must then provide the correct numbers that accompany the symbols as indicated in the key [64] |
| Low-contrast letter acuity test (LCLA) | Seven charts with different levels of contrast (0.6–100%) are presented to the patient. On each chart, multiple rows are depicted with gray letters with decreasing size on a white background. The letter scores indicate the number of letters identified correctly. Each chart is scored separately |