Functional Analysis by Clinical Domains in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Authors

Keywords:

relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, functional domains, disability, functional analysis, neurological rehabilitation

Abstract

Introduction: Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis is characterized by symptom fluctuation and variable functional impairment across clinical domains. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) have demonstrated immunological efficacy, although their specific functional impact requires further analysis.

Objective: To evaluate clinical changes in symptoms and functional domains in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis treated with DMARDs, using frequency analysis and statistical tests of change.

Methods: Observational, longitudinal, and analytical study with 28 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis treated with cladribine, interferon beta, or ocrelizumab. Symptoms were recorded at baseline and at the end of follow-up, grouped by functional domains (motor, sensory, visual, autonomic, and cognitive/affective). The McNemar test was applied to assess intraindividual change (p < 0.05).

Results: Significant improvements were observed in four functional domains: motor   (p = 0.0041), visual (p = 0.0162), autonomic (p = 0.0215), and cognitive/affective              (p = 0.0045). The sensory domain showed no statistically significant changes. Overall, the frequency of symptomatic patients was reduced in certain domains by up to 90 %.

Conclusions: Functional domain analysis is a complementary and sensitive tool for detecting specific clinical improvements not evident in the expanded disability status scale. Its integration into rehabilitation practice facilitates comprehensive assessment and personalized clinical follow-up in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

 

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Author Biography

Olaf Dario Medrano-Peña, Hermanos Ameijeiras Clinical Surgical Hospital

The authors declare no conflicts of interest, financial, academic, institutional, or personal, that could have influenced the results or interpretations presented in this study.

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Published

2025-12-18

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1.
Garcidueñas-Aguilar JA, Medrano-Peña OD, Díaz de la Fe A, Fernández Gutiérrez D del C, Robinson-Agramonte M de los A. Functional Analysis by Clinical Domains in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis. RCMFR [Internet]. 2025 Dec. 18 [cited 2025 Dec. 25];17. Available from: https://revrehabilitacion.sld.cu/index.php/reh/article/view/1026

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Copyright (c) 2025 Jorge Arturo Garcidueñas-Aguilar, Olaf Dario Medrano-Peña, Amado Díaz de la Fe, Dania del Carmen Fernández Gutiérrez, Maria de los Angeles Robinson-Agramonte

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