Report Viewer

NINDS CDE Notice of Copyright
Patient Determined Disease Steps
Availability
Please visit this website for more information: National MS Society
The Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) is also available in the original journal article where it was first published, Hohol, et al (1995).
Classification
Supplemental: Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Short Description of Instrument
Construct measured: Motor function.
Generic vs. disease specific: Disease specific.
Means of administration: Self administered.
Intended respondent: Patient.
# of items: 9.
# of subscales and names of sub-scales: N/A.
# of items per sub-scale: N/A.
Comments/Special Instructions
Scoring: The PPDS was used to categorize participants into three groups according to level of disability: a score of 0-2 indicated mild disability, respresented by sensory symptoms but no limitations in walking; a score of 3 to 5 indicated moderate disability, represented by symptoms that interfered with daily activities, especially walking, and need for a cane; an a score of 6 to 8 indicated severe disability, represented by the need for bilateral support, wheelchair use or being bedridden.
 
Background: The PDDS is an ordinal clinical rating scale developed by Hohol et al (1995) to provide a straightforward assessment of functional disability in MS primarily based on ambulation. It was designed to aid in determining when to implement therapy and as a way to monitor treatment response. Scores range from 0 (normal) to 6 (essentially confined to wheelchair). There is a separate category for patients who are not classifiable.
Rationale/Justification
Strengths/Weaknesses: The rating itself is simple and brief. However, the information needed to arrive at a rating generally requires a medical history and both general physical and neurological examinations, including having the patient walk 25 feet.
 
Psychometric Properties: The Patient-Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) content validity is indicated by consistency of the items with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Construct validity is indicated by a correlation between the PDDS and EDDS scales of 0.96.
 
Administration: The Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) scale is a self administered Disability assessment for patients with MS. Administration time will vary depending upon the ability of the patient. Total administration time should be approximately 1-5 minutes. Although the PDDS itself can be rated in a few minutes, the medical history and neurological examination that may be needed to make the ratings can take anywhere from 15 minutes to a half-hour.
References
Gulick E., Namey, M., Halper, J. Monitoring My Multiple Sclerosis: A Patient-Adminitered Health Assessment Scale. Int J MS Care.
 
Vollmer TI, Ni W, Stanton S, Hadjimichael O. The NARCOMS patient registry: a resource for investigators. Int J MS Care. 1999;1:12-15.
 
Kurtzke JF. Neurologic impairment in multiple sclerosis and the Disability Status Scale. Acta Neurol Scand. 1970;46:493-512.

 

Document last updated April 2020