MSCopilot, a new multiple sclerosis self-assessment digital solution: results of a comparative study versus standard tests

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Assessing patients' disability in multiple sclerosis (MS) requires time-consuming batteries of hospital tests. MSCopilot is a software medical device for the self-assessment of patients with MS (PwMS), combining four tests: walking, dexterity, cognition and low contrast vision. The objective was to validate MSCopilot versus the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC).

METHODS

This multicentre, open-label, randomized, controlled, crossover study enrolled 141 PwMS and 76 healthy controls (HCs). All participants performed MSCopilot and MSFC tests at day 0. To assess reproducibility, 46 PwMS performed the same tests at day 30 ± 3. The primary end-point was the validation of MSCopilot versus MSFC for the identification of PwMS against HCs, quantified using the area under the curve (AUC). The main secondary end-point was the correlation of MSCopilot z-scores with MSFC z-scores.

RESULTS

In all, 116 PwMS and 69 HCs were analysed. The primary end-point was achieved: MSCopilot performance was non-inferior to that of MSFC (AUC 0.92 and 0.89 respectively; P = 0.3). MSCopilot and MSFC discriminated PwMS and HCs with 81% and 76% sensitivity and 82% and 88% specificity respectively. Digital and standard test scores were highly correlated (r = 0.81; P < 0.001). The test-retest study demonstrated the good reproducibility of MSCopilot.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms the reliability of MSCopilot and its usability in clinical practice for the monitoring of MS-related disability.

[Asthma: Adapting the therapeutic follow-up according to the medical and psychosocial profiles]

INTRODUCTION

This work is based on the data of REALISE™, a survey conducted among 8000 European patients to identify the profiles of adult asthma patients and how these are linked with treatment adherence behaviors.

METHODS

A cluster analysis was performed by combining data in three ways: control of asthma, attitude towards the disease, compliance with treatment. A multidisciplinary group analyzed the results for the 1024 French survey respondents.

RESULTS

Four patient profiles were identified: "rather confident" (28% of patients), rather young patients with a low level of concern about their asthma. "Rather committed" (23%) patients considering themselves to be mostly healthy, reporting better therapeutic declared. "Rather questing" (26%), patients poorly controlled, seeking to manage their asthma themselves. "Rather concerned" profile (23%), a bit older, with poor clinical control, considering their asthma to be severe.

CONCLUSIONS

Cluster analysis provides a multidimensional approach to understand the therapeutic behavior of the different patient profiles better and so adjust communication by and education of healthcare professionals.