Evidence mapPaperPMID 41208691Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of neurology2025

Measures of Comorbidities and Frailty in Multiple Sclerosis-Systematic Review on Evidence and Applicability of Utilized Scoring Systems in Clinical Routine and Real-World Data.

Marie Louise Aicher, Fabian Föttinger, Robert Hoepner, Andrew Chan, Thomas Berger, Gabriel Bsteh

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Marie Louise AicherDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.ORCID 0009-0009-2408-1427
Fabian FöttingerDepartment of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.ORCID 0009-0005-7970-5349
Robert HoepnerDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Andrew ChanDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Thomas BergerDepartment of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.ORCID 0000-0001-5626-1144
Gabriel BstehDepartment of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn multiple sclerosis (MS), comorbidities and frailty are receiving increasing attention influencing disease course, treatment and quality of life. The objective of this literature review is to evaluate the evidence, strengths and weaknesses of assessment tools for comorbidities and frailty in people with MS (pwMS).

methodsWe conducted a comprehensive systematic literature review including studies published between 2014 and 2024 with original data or systematic reviews on measures of comorbidity or frailty in pwMS using PRISMA 2020 methodology. Measures were investigated focusing on underlying evidence, validity, clinical usefulness and applicability. The quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach.

resultsOut of 4185 studies screened, 31 met inclusion criteria for comorbidity and 9 for frailty measures. We identified several frailty and comorbidity scores that have been investigated in the context of pwMS. For comorbidities these were the Charlson Comorbidity Index (n = 14 studies), Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (n = 6), Self-administered comorbidity questionnaire (n = 3) and an MS-adapted version (SRQ-MS, n = 8). For frailty, the Frailty Index (n = 8), Fried Frailty (n = 1) and Tilburg Frailty Indicator (n = 1) were identified. Quality of evidence for scores in the specific context of pwMS was graded as mostly very low to low. Applicability in clinical routine care and to real-world data was rated from low to moderate.

conclusionOut of the comorbidity and frailty scales currently available, no single scale has displayed sufficient evidence to warrant routine use. Further validation and standardization are required to ensure their applicability in real-world use.

Indexed as

FrailtyMultiple SclerosisComorbidityHumans

Identifiers

PMID41208691
PMCPMC12598409

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.