|
They were interviewed and assessed immediately before, during and immediately after the initial course. Patients were classified as Relapsing/Remitting, Chronic Progressive or Chronic Static and assigned a Kurtzke Disability value from a scale (KDS) that enables patients from Centres to be compared. Between two and four years, and again between six and eight years after the initial course, another assessment was made. A further review was conducted after 10 or more years.
After the initial course there was little change in the KDS. However, 25% of Relapsing/Remitting patients improved on their value, while 64 - 77% of symptoms improved (Table II).
Table II. Patients assessment of their response to initial course.
|
|
|
Improved
|
No
Change
|
Worse
|
|
|
n
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
Fatigue
|
567
|
70
|
22
|
8
|
|
Speech
|
187
|
64
|
34
|
1
|
|
Balance
|
562
|
59
|
37
|
4
|
|
Bladder
|
523
|
68
|
30
|
0
|
|
Walking
|
638
|
77
|
19
|
4
|
|
Other improvements that significantly affect the quality of life were gained during the course, many of which were retained with regular treatment in 73% of patients after 4 years. Subjective relief of bladder symptoms were confirmed by recording urinary frequency (Table III).
Table III. Urinary frequency of 703 patients -
before and after the initial course.
|
Total Times Voided
|
|
|
Before Initial
Course
|
After Initial
Course
|
Improvement
|
|
Frequency
|
|
Ave.
|
|
Ave.
|
|
|
- at night
|
1232
|
2.4
|
651
|
1.2
|
47%
|
|
- during the
day
|
3873
|
7.4
|
2960
|
5.7
|
24%
|
|
Patient Assessment Continues
|
