Frontiers in Neurology (Jun 2021)

Designing a Self-Perception Cognitive Questionnaire for Italian Multiple Sclerosis Patients (Sclerosi Multipla Autovalutazione Cognitiva, SMAC). A Preliminary Exploratory Pilot Study

  • Alice Riccardi,
  • Francesca Ognibene,
  • Sara Mondini,
  • Massimo Nucci,
  • Monica Margoni,
  • Ilaria Meglioranzi,
  • Elisa Carta,
  • Sofia Zywicki,
  • Silvia Miante,
  • Paola Perini,
  • Francesca Rinaldi,
  • Marco Puthenparampil,
  • Paolo Gallo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2021.668933
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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Background: Although cognition in multiple sclerosis (MS) is assessed by means of several neuropsychological tests, only a few tools exist to investigate patients' perspectives on cognitive functioning.Objective: To develop a new questionnaire aimed at exploring patients' self-perception with respect to cognition in Italian MS patients.Methods: A total of 120 relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients and 120 matched healthy controls (HC) completed a 25-item questionnaire called the Sclerosi Multipla Autovalutazione Cognitiva (SMAC). The Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System Sorting Test (D-KEFS ST), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and the Fatigue Scale (FSS) were also administered to the patients.Results: Significantly higher SMAC scores were displayed by RRMS patients compared with HC (30.1 ± 16.9 vs. 23.4 ± 10.4, p = 0.003). SMAC inversely correlated with SDMT (r = −0.31, p < 0.001), D-KEFS ST FSC (r = −0.21, p = 0.017), D-KEFS ST FSD (r = −0.22, p = 0.015) and D-KEFS ST SR (r = −0.19, p = 0.035) and positively correlated with FSS (r = 0.42, p < 0.001) and BDI-II (r = 0.59, p < 0.001). Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the questionnaire was 0.94.Conclusion: Preliminary findings suggest that SMAC is a promising patient-reported outcome to be included in MS neuropsychological evaluation and thus warrants being further tested and developed.

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