Characteristics of the NARCOMS derivation, validation and full cohorts
| Characteristic | Derivation cohort (n=1752) | Validation cohort (n=1753) | Full cohort (N=3505) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, mean (SD) | 57.0 (9.9) | 57.1 (10.2) | 56.7 (10.0) |
| Duration of disease, mean (SD) | 18.1 (9.4) | 18.1 (8.9) | 18.1 (9.1) |
| Female gender (%) | 79.7 | 80.5 | 80.7 |
| MSWS-12 total score, mean (SD) | 50.7 (33.6) | 51.0 (33.4) | 50.8 (33.5) |
| Item 1 | 2.65 (1.39) | 2.68 (1.38) | 2.67 (1.39) |
| Item 2 | 3.84 (1.57) | 3.88 (1.56) | 3.86 (1.57) |
| Item 3 | 2.89 (1.44) | 2.93 (1.44) | 2.91 (1.44) |
| Item 4 | 2.68 (1.38) | 2.69 (1.38) | 2.68 (1.38) |
| Item 5 | 2.86 (1.36) | 2.86 (1.34) | 2.86 (1.35) |
| Item 6 | 3.22 (1.50) | 3.24 (1.48) | 3.23 (1.49) |
| Item 7 | 3.03 (1.47) | 3.05 (1.44) | 3.04 (1.46) |
| Item 8 | 2.64 (1.61) | 2.62 (1.61) | 2.63 (1.61) |
| Item 9 | 2.80 (1.73) | 2.82 (1.72) | 2.81 (1.72) |
| Item 10 | 3.22 (1.50) | 3.24 (1.50) | 3.23 (1.50) |
| Item 11 | 3.26 (1.49) | 3.25 (1.48) | 3.26 (1.49) |
| Item 12 | 3.30 (1.49) | 3.28 (1.50) | 3.29 (1.49) |
| EQ-5D, mean (SD) | 0.74 (0.18) | 0.73 (0.19) | 0.74 (0.18) |
The 12-items of the MSWS-12 are as follows (in the past 2 weeks, how much has your MS…):
1. Limited your ability to walk?
2. Limited your ability to run?
3. Limited your ability to climb up and down stairs?
4. Made standing when doing things more difficult?
5. Limited your balance when standing or walking?
6. Limited how far you are able to walk?
7. Increased the effort needed for you to walk?
8. Made it necessary for you to use support when walking indoors (eg, holding on to furniture, using a stick, etc)?
9. Made it necessary for you to use support when walking outdoors (eg, using a stick, a frame, etc)?
10. Slowed down your walking?
11. Affected how smoothly you walk?
12. Made you concentrate on your walking?
EQ-5D, EuroQol 5-dimension; MS, multiple sclerosis; MSWS-12, 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale; NARCOMS, North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis.