ChatGPT vs. neurologists: a cross-sectional study investigating preference, satisfaction ratings and perceived empathy in responses among people living with multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: ChatGPT is an open-source natural language processing software that replies to users' queries. We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess people living with Multiple Sclerosis' (PwMS) preferences, satisfaction, and empathy toward two alternate responses to four frequently-asked questions, one authored by a group of neurologists, the other by ChatGPT. METHODS: An online form was sent through digital communication platforms. PwMS were blind to the author of each response and were asked to express their preference for each alternate response to the four questions. The overall satisfaction was assessed using a Likert scale (1-5); the Consultation and Relational Empathy scale was employed to assess perceived empathy. RESULTS: We included 1133 PwMS (age, 45.26 ± 11.50 years; females, 68.49%). ChatGPT's responses showed significantly higher empathy scores (Coeff = 1.38; 95% CI = 0.65, 2.11; p > z < 0.01), when compared with neurologists' responses. No association was found between ChatGPT' responses and mean satisfaction (Coeff = 0.03; 95% CI = - 0.01, 0.07; p = 0.157). College graduate, when compared with high school education responder, had significantly lower likelihood to prefer ChatGPT response (IRR = 0.87; 95% CI = 0.79, 0.95; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: ChatGPT-authored responses provided higher empathy than neurologists. Although AI holds potential, physicians should prepare to interact with increasingly digitized patients and guide them on responsible AI use. Future development should consider tailoring AIs' responses to individual characteristics. Within the progressive digitalization of the population, ChatGPT could emerge as a helpful support in healthcare management rather than an alternative.

Identifying definite patterns of unmet needs in patients with multiple sclerosis using unsupervised machine learning.

INTRODUCTION: People with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) exhibit a spectrum of needs that extend beyond solely disease-related determinants. Investigating unmet needs from the patient perspective may address daily difficulties and optimize care. Our aim was to identify patterns of unmet needs among PwMS and their determinants. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional multicentre study. Data were collected through an anonymous, self-administered online form. To cluster PwMS according to their main unmet needs, we performed agglomerative hierarchical clustering algorithm. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to visualize cluster distribution. Pairwise comparisons were used to evaluate demographics and clinical distribution among clusters. RESULTS: Out of 1764 mailed questionnaires, we received 690 responses. Access to primary care was the main contributor to the overall unmet need burden. Four patterns were identified: cluster C1, 'information-seekers with few unmet needs'; cluster C2, 'high unmet needs'; cluster C3, 'socially and assistance-dependent'; cluster C4, 'self-sufficient with few unmet needs'. PCA identified two main components in determining the patterns: the 'public sphere' (access to information and care) and the 'private sphere' (need for assistance and social life). Older age, lower education, longer disease duration and higher disability characterized clusters with more unmet needs in the private sphere. However, demographic and clinical factors failed in explaining the four identified patterns. CONCLUSION: Our study identified four unmet need patterns among PwMS, emphasizing the importance of personalized care. While clinical and demographic factors provide some insight, additional variables warrant further investigation to fully understand unmet needs in PwMS.

Vitamin D Supplementation: Effect on Cytokine Profile in Multiple Sclerosis.

Vitamin D is known for its role in modulating calcium and phosphate homeostasis and is implicated both in bone mineralization and immune system regulation. The immune-modulatory role of vitamin D and its impact on multiple sclerosis (MS) courses are still debated. The aim of this review was to check the effect of vitamin D supplementation on cytokine profile regulation in people with MS. A significant increase in serum concentrations of interleukin (IL)-10 and Transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 after vitamin D supplementation was demonstrated in most studies, with some of them reporting a reduction in disability scores after vitamin D supplementation and an inverse correlation between IL-10 levels and disability. The effect of vitamin D on the serum levels of IL-17 and IL-6 was controversial; different results across studies could be explained by a variability in the treatment duration, route, and frequency of administration, as well as the dosage of vitamin D supplementation, responses to vitamin D treatment and the serum levels reached with supplementation, including the methods used for cytokine analysis and the different cell types investigated, the MS phenotype, the disease phase (active vs. non-active) and duration, and concomitant treatment with disease-modifying therapies. Nevertheless, the significant increase in the serum concentrations of IL-10 and TGF-ß1, demonstrated in most studies, suggests an anti-inflammatory effect of vitamin D supplementation.

Validation of the swallowing disturbance questionnaire in people with multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: The DYSPHAGIA IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (DYMUS) questionnaire is the only specific tool developed to screen for dysphagia in people with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS). However, some limitations of DYMUS could potentially be addressed by the SWALLOWING DISTURBANCE QUESTIONNAIRE (SDQ), which has not yet been validated in pwMS. The objective of this study was to translate and validate the SDQ into the Italian language for use in pwMS to detect swallowing disturbances. METHODS: We translated the SDQ into Italian and adapted it for use in Italian pwMS. PwMS aged > 18 years, assessed for disability using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), completed the SDQ and DYMUS questionnaires and performed the 3-OUNCE WATER SWALLOW TEST (WST). Clinical and demographic data were collected for each patient. The Italian version of the SDQ was retested after 30 days. RESULTS: A total of 84 pwMS were recruited for the study, consisting of 73.8 % women and 48.8 % with a relapsing-remitting form of MS. The mean age of participants was 44.5 years (SD: ±12.46), with a mean disease duration of 17 years (SD: ±10.27), and a median EDSS of 4 (range 1.5-7.5). The Cronbach's alpha for SDQ (to assess internal consistency) was 0.902, which increased to 0.908 after the elimination of item 15, resulting in the SDQ composed of 14 items. ROC analysis demonstrated good accuracy of the 14-item SDQ in pwMS (AUC: 0.811). By dividing the 14-item SDQ score into quartiles, three risk levels for dysphagia were identified: low (score 1-3), intermediate (score 4-8), and high (score ≥9). 14-item SDQ scores significantly correlated with DYMUS (r = 0.820; p<0.0001) and with EDSS (r = 0.541; p<0.0001). PwMS who reported dysphagia had a significantly higher mean 14-item SDQ score (8.27 ± SD 8.15) compared to those without swallowing problems (2.77 ± SD 4.25; p = 0.003). Additionally, pwMS with a positive WST had a significantly higher mean 14-item SDQ score (10.17 ± SD 8.96) than those with a negative WST (2.96 ± SD 3.93; p = 0.02). The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient for the retest, calculated on 48 pwMS in a stable phase of the disease, was 0.91 (95 % CI 0.84-0.95). CONCLUSION: The 14-item SDQ has demonstrated high internal consistency, good accuracy, and reliability in pwMS, making it a readily applicable tool for investigating dysphagia in MS.

Assisted Reproductive Technology and Disease Management in Infertile Women with Multiple Sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) predominantly affects women of fertile age. Various aspects of MS could impact on fertility, such as sexual dysfunction, endocrine alterations, autoimmune imbalances, and disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). The proportion of women with MS (wMS) requesting infertility management and assisted reproductive technology (ART) is increasing over time. In this review, we report on data regarding ART in wMS and address safety issues. We also discuss the clinical aspects to consider when planning a course of treatment for infertility, and provide updated recommendations to guide neurologists in the management of wMS undergoing ART, with the goal of reducing the risk of disease activation after this procedure. According to most studies, there is an increase in relapse rate and magnetic resonance imaging activity after ART. Therefore, to reduce the risk of relapse, ART should be considered in wMS with stable disease. In wMS, especially those with high disease activity, fertility issues should be discussed early as the choice of DMT, and fertility preservation strategies might be proposed in selected cases to ensure both disease control and a safe pregnancy. For patients with stable disease taking DMTs compatible with pregnancy, treatment should not be interrupted before ART. If the ongoing therapy is contraindicated in pregnancy, then it should be switched to a compatible therapy. Prior to beginning fertility treatments in wMS, it would be reasonable to assess vitamin D serum levels, thyroid function and its antibody serum levels; start folic acid supplementation; and ensure smoking and alcohol cessation, adequate sleep, and food hygiene. Cervico-vaginal swabs for Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis, and Chlamydia trachomatis, as well as serology for viral hepatitis, HIV, syphilis, and cytomegalovirus, should be performed. Steroids could be administered under specific indications. Although the available data do not clearly show a definite raised relapse risk associated with a specific ART protocol, it seems reasonably safe to prefer the use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists for ovarian stimulation. Close clinical and radiological monitoring is reasonably recommended, particularly after hormonal stimulation and in case of pregnancy failure.

Health related quality of life in the domain of physical activity predicts confirmed disability progression in people with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.

INTRODUCTION: The diagnosis of the progression phase of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is still retrospective and based on the objectivation of clinical disability accumulation. OBJECTIVES: To assess whether the Patient Reported Outcomes Measures (PROMs) scores predict the occurrence of disease progression within three years of follow-up. METHODS: Observational prospective multicenter study. Stable Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS) patients were enrolled. At enrollment, patients completed the following PROMs: Beck Depression Inventory- II, The Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications, Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36- Item (SF36), Fatigue Severity Scale. EDSS was assessed at enrollment and three years later. The outcome measure was defined as the occurrence of confirmed disability progression (CDP) within three years of follow-up. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were performed to study the association between the final score of each test and the outcome. RESULTS: SF36-Physical Functioning (SF36-PF) was the only independent variable associated with the outcome. The ROC curve analysis determined a score of 77.5 at SF36-PF as the cut-off point identifying patients experiencing CDP within three years of follow-up [AUC: 0.66 (95% CI: 0.56-0.75)]. CONCLUSIONS: RRMS patients scoring higher (>77.5) at SF36-PF subscale have a higher likelihood to experience CDP within the next three years.

Clinically Manifest Infections Do Not Increase the Relapse Risk in People with Multiple Sclerosis Treated with Disease-Modifying Therapies: A Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Many factors are believed to be positively associated with the incidence of relapses in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), including infections. However, their role is still controversial. We aimed to investigate whether symptomatic infections in people with MS increase the risk of relapse in the short, medium, or long term. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled consecutive patients with relapsing MS (RMS) from October to December 2018. From enrolment up to September 2020, an online questionnaire investigating the occurrence of infections was sent via WhatsApp® monthly to the enrolled patients, while in-person visits were performed every six months. When patients complained of symptoms compatible with relapses, they attended an extra in-person visit. RESULTS: We enrolled 155 patients with RMS, and 88.38% of patients were treated with disease-modifying therapies. In the dataset, 126,381 total patient days, 78 relapses, and 1202 infections were recorded over a period of about 2 years. No increased risk of relapse after clinically manifest infections was found in the short-, medium-, or long-term period. No correlation was found between all infections and the number of relapses (p = 0.212). The main analyses were repeated considering only those infections that had at least two of the following characteristics: duration of infection ≥ 4 days, body temperature > 37° Celsius, and the use of drugs (antibiotics and/or antivirals), and no significant associations were observed. CONCLUSIONS: No associations between infections and relapses were observed, likely suggesting that disease-modifying therapies may protect against the risk of relapse potentially triggered by infections.

Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions and Their Rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis.

Urinary, bowel, and sexual dysfunctions are the most frequent and disabling pelvic floor (PF) disorders in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). PF dysfunction negatively impacts the performance of daily living activities, walking, and the physical dimension of quality of life (QoL) in people with MS. Patient-reported outcomes on sphincteric functioning could be useful to detect PF disorders and their impact on patients' lives. PF rehabilitation proposed by Kegel is based on a series of regularly repeated exercises for "the functional restoration of the perineal muscles". Over time, various therapeutic modalities have been added to PF muscles exercises, through the application of physical or instrumental techniques, such as intravaginal neuromuscular electrical stimulation, electromyographic biofeedback, transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation. PF rehabilitation has been applied in MS treatment, with improvements of lower urinary tract symptoms severity, QoL, level of anxiety and depression, and sexual dysfunction. This review aims to examine the different PF disorders in MS to evaluate the application of PF rehabilitation in MS and to highlight its advantages and limits, suggesting a multidisciplinary management of PF disorders, with a well-deserved space reserved for PF rehabilitation.

Association between relapses, stress, and depression in people with multiple sclerosis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Stress is a potential trigger for clinical and radiological activity in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). COVID-19 pandemic has been a relevant source of mental distress in people with MS (pwMS) and deeply impacted on disease management. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between stress, anxiety, depression, and risk of relapse during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: From an electronic database used for clinical practice, we extracted data of relapsing-remitting (RR) or relapsing-progressive (RP) MS patients and calculated the annualized relapse rate (ARR) during 2019 and 2020. From 01/12/2020 to 30/12/2020, enrolled patients were invited to fill in a Google Forms survey to investigate depression, anxiety, stress, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). RESULTS: We selected 216 patients with RR or RP-MS to calculate ARR: compared to 2019, in 2020 there was a significant increase in ARR (p = 0.0142). Over 216 selected pwMS, 154 completed the survey. Matching the survey responses and incidence of relapses in 2020, there was a significant association between relapses and stress (p = 0.030) and relapses and depression (p = 0.011), but not between relapses and anxiety (p = 0.130) or PTSD (p = 0.279). CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the hypothesis that pandemic-related stress is associated to clinical exacerbations, both as a possible consequence of the COVID-19 impact on MS care.

Telemedicine application to headache: a critical review.

BACKGROUND: Migraine affects more than a billion people all over the world and requires critical employment of healthcare resources. Telemedicine could be a reasonable tool to manage people suffering from headaches, and it received a big push from the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to propose a practical approach for the virtual management of these patients. METHODS: To do this, we conducted a literature search, including 32 articles relevant to the topic treated in this review. RESULTS: The most challenging step in telemedicine applied to practical neurology remains the clinical assessment, but through a careful headache history and a recently proposed entirely virtual neurological assessment, this hitch can be easily overcome. Electronic diary compilations and virtual administration of disability-measuring scales, conversely, are the key features of effective long-term follow-up although we do not have apps that met the criteria of scientific reliability. Furthermore, tele-rehabilitation seems to be effective and has demonstrated to be a solution to alternatively treat chronic patients at home, and can be considered part of the remote management of headache patients. Moreover, virtual management of headaches finds an application in specific communities of patients, as pediatric patients and for rural communities of low- and middle-income countries suffer from health disparities, with inadequate resources and knowledge gaps. CONCLUSION: Telemedicine could be promising for patients with no regular or convenient access to headache specialists and seems to be a priority in managing migraine patients to avoid non-urgent hospitalizations.

Multiple sclerosis and genetic polymorphisms in fibrinogen-mediated hemostatic pathways: a case-control study.

INTRODUCTION: Blood coagulation constituents might exert immunomodulatory functions in the CNS and may trigger neuroinflammation and demyelination. We evaluated whether particular single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), thought to be involved in fibrinogen-mediated hemostatic pathways, are overrepresented in patients with MS compared with controls. METHODS: The case-control study consisted of 119 MS patients recruited consecutively at our clinic, and 68 healthy controls. Afterwards, we created a cumulative genetic risk score (CGRS) which included the 5 selected hemostatic risk alleles (Beta-Fibrinogen 455G/A, Glycoprotein IIIa P1A2, Factor V Leiden, Factor V H2R, and Prothrombin 20210G/A). Multivariate ordinal logistic regression and multivariate multinomial logistic regression were applied to evaluate the effect of CGRS on MS susceptibility. RESULTS: The FGB 455 G/A and Factor V H1299R variants might be associated with MS status, in the recessive and dominant model, respectively. A cumulative association of the five SNPs investigated with the disease was observed. DISCUSSION: We found that MS patients carried more pro-hemostatic variants than healthy controls. An increasing number of unfavorable alleles might increase the likelihood of being in the MS group, in the cumulative analysis. Our findings encourage to evaluating these variants in a larger population-based cohort.

Disability assessment using Google Maps.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the concordance between Google Maps® application (GM®) and clinical practice measurements of ambulatory function (e.g., Ambulation Score (AS) and respective Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)) in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional multicenter study. AS and EDSS were calculated using GM® and routine clinical methods; the correspondence between the two methods was assessed. A multinomial logistic model is investigated which demographic (age, sex) and clinical features (e.g., disease subtype, fatigue, depression) might have influenced discrepancies between the two methods. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-three pwMS were included; discrepancies in AS and in EDDS assessments between GM® and routine clinical methods were found in 81/243 (33.3%) and 74/243 (30.4%) pwMS, respectively. Progressive phenotype (odds ratio [OR] = 2.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-7.11, p = 0.03), worse fatigue (OR = 1.03; 95% CI 1.01-1.06, p = 0.01), and more severe depression (OR = 1.1; 95% CI 1.04-1.17, p = 0.002) were associated with discrepancies between GM® and routine clinical scoring. CONCLUSION: GM® could easily be used in a real-life clinical setting to calculate the AS and the related EDSS scores. GM® should be considered for validation in further clinical studies.

Pain, quality of life, and religiosity in people with multiple sclerosis.

PURPOSE: To investigate in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, the relationship between pain and religiosity and to determine whether distinct dimensions of religiosity were associated with quality of life. METHODS: MS patients during clinical follow-up filled out the visual analogue scale for pain (VAS), the Mc Gill questionnaire (McGQ), the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the religious attitude scale (RAS), and expanded disability status scale (EDSS) was assessed. RESULTS: Ninety-two MS patients were enrolled, only two declined. There was a negative correlation between religious practice and faith and some domains of the SF-36 and a positive correlation between sensory, affective, and evaluative aspects of pain (at McGQ) and religious practices, and between evaluative aspects of pain (at McGQ) and faith. EDSS was significantly higher in practitioner believers compared to not practitioners. CONCLUSIONS: More disabled MS patients, with worse quality of life, also due to physical pain, find a source of comfort in faith and religious practices. Pain is not relieved by prayer; therefore, we may guess that in MS the poor beneficial effect of religiosity and practice on pain perception may be linked to a structural/functional damage of neural circuits involved in reducing pain during prayer.

Digital work engagement among Italian neurologists.

BACKGROUND: Digital health, including telemedicine, is increasingly recommended for the management of chronic neurological disorders, and it has changed the roles of patients and clinicians. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study we aimed to investigate the digital work engagement of Italian neurologists through a survey collected between September 2020 and January 2021. Questionnaires were anonymous and collected demographic characteristics, attitudes towards digital devices and social media, and details about the clinician-patient relationship. We used logistic-regression models to identify characteristics associated with the propensity to communicate with patients using social media. RESULTS: Among the 553 neurologists who participated to the study, smartphones and computers were widely preferred compared with tablets; wearable devices were not common, although some neurologists desired them. A total of 48% of participants reported communicating with patients using social media but only a few were in favor of social friendship with patients; WhatsApp was the social media most popular for professional (86%) and personal (98%) purposes. Propensity to communicate with social media was significantly higher among those who were older (p < 0.001) and lived in regions outside northern Italy (center: p = 0.006; south and the islands: p < 0.001). For 58% of responders, social media improved their relationship with patients, but 72% usually warned patients about unreliable websites. CONCLUSIONS: The preferred social media were those which were rapid and which safeguard privacy more effectively; neurologists made many efforts to disprove fake news circulating online, providing help to patients in various ways. This analysis can help direct future interventions for the management of chronic neurological disorders.

CD19 Cell Count at Baseline Predicts B Cell Repopulation at 6 and 12 Months in Multiple Sclerosis Patients Treated with Ocrelizumab.

BACKGROUND: The kinetics of B cell repopulation in MS patients treated with Ocrelizumab is highly variable, suggesting that a fixed dosage and time scheduling might be not optimal. We aimed to investigate whether B cell repopulation kinetics influences clinical and radiological outcomes and whether circulating immune asset at baseline affects B cell repopulation kinetics. METHODS: 218 MS patients treated with Ocrelizumab were included. Every six months we collected data on clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) activity and lymphocyte subsets at baseline. According to B cell counts at six and twelve months, we identified two groups of patients, those with fast repopulation rate (FR) and those with slow repopulation rate (SR). RESULTS: A significant reduction in clinical and radiological activity was found. One hundred fifty-five patients had complete data and received at least three treatment cycles (twelve-month follow-up). After six months, the FR patients were 41/155 (26.45%) and 10/41 (29.27%) remained non-depleted after twelve months. FR patients showed a significantly higher percentage of active MRI scan at twelve months (17.39% vs. 2.53%; p = 0,008). Furthermore, FR patients had a higher baseline B cell count compared to patients with an SR (p = 0.02 and p = 0.002, at the six- and twelve-month follow-ups, respectively). CONCLUSION: A considerable proportion of MS patients did not achieve a complete CD19 cell depletion and these patients had a higher baseline CD19 cell count. These findings, together with the higher MRI activity found in FR patients, suggest that the Ocrelizumab dosage could be tailored depending on CD19 cell counts at baseline in order to achieve complete disease control in all patients.

Public Engagement and Neurology: An Update.

BACKGROUND: Public engagement (PE) is defined as the involvement of "specialists who listen, develop their understanding, and interact with non-specialists in non-profit activities of educational, cultural, and social nature to engage the public in science-related matters". The public health relevance of PE consists in building up a scientifically literate society, able to participate in and support scientific and technological developments and their implications for educational settings. Neurological disorders account for 35% of all diseases. PE could have a positive impact on the lives of people affected by neurological diseases. METHOD: This review evaluates the role of PE in dementia, stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, migraine, neurogenetics, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: PE can provide accessible information, support research activities and prevention through appropriate lifestyles, and increase knowledge and awareness of neurological disorders, improving their diagnosis and treatment.

Assessment of Multiple Sclerosis Disability Progression Using a Wearable Biosensor: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: The evaluation of walking activity of people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) is desirable. We evaluate the power of the correlation of motor parameters detected by the accelerometer in the Samsung Gear S2 smartwatch with multiple sclerosis (MS) disability measures and patient reported outcomes (PROs). METHODS: We enrolled 25 relapsing remitting MS patients. We assessed disability with the expanded disability status scale, two-minute walking test (2MWT), timed 25-foot walk test (T25FWT), and nine-hole peg test. We collected PROs measuring fatigue, ambulatory ability, depression, quality of life, and bladder/bowel function. Participants were asked to wear the accelerometer for a period of 30 days. RESULTS: The Spearman's rank correlation coefficient showed a moderate negative correlation between the patient-determined disease steps (PDDS) score with the mean steps/day, a strong negative correlation between the PDDS score with the maximum number of daily steps (MNDS) and a moderate negative correlation between the fatigue severity scale score and MNDS. A moderate negative correlation between MNDS and the 2MWT and a moderate negative correlation between MNDS and the T25FW was found. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that motor parameters derived from the accelerometer could be a reliable measure of motor disability in pwMS.