Table 4: Assessment of severity of symptoms, awareness of disease and treatment administration.

Variation in symptoms of disease
(1=not present anymore; 2=less present; 3= unchanged; 4= worsened):
Diminished strength
Paresis
Difficulty in walking
Difficulty in balance
Sensitivity problems
Sight problems
Double vision
Difficulty in speech
Bladder disturbances
Other
1.812
1.312
1.812
1.875
2.125
1.187
1.625
1.437
1.562
0.437
1.558
1.302
1.559
1.360
1.360
1.377
1.408
1.750
1.711
1.209
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
Variations in type of symptoms:
(1=not present anymore; 2=less present; 3= unchanged; 4= worsened):
Pyramidal symptoms
Sensitivity symptoms
Cerebellar symptoms
Brainstem symptoms
Visual symptoms
Sphincter disorders
Other
1.750
2.125
2.187
1.625
1.187
1.562
0.437
1.438
1.360
1.424
1.408
1.377
1.711
1.209
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
Knowledge of disease (0 =diminished; 1=unchanged; 2=increased) 1.75 0.683 0 2
Source of information:
Physicians
Newspapers, tv, etc.
Other patients
Other
0.562
0.750
0.062
0.625
0.512
0.447
0.250
0.250
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
Awareness of disease (0=worsened; 1=unchanged; 2=improved) 1.5 0.650 0 2
Is the treatment beneficial? (1= yes) 0.937 0.250 0 1
Assessment of side effects (on a scale from 0 to 5 – maximum disadvantage):
Flu-like symptoms
Pain in the site of injection
Mental/mood changes
Fatigue
Insomnia
Anemia
Thyroiditis
Other
0.256
1.750
1.437
3.062
1.687
0.625
0.500
0.937
1.590
1.527
1.896
2.144
1.778
1.543
1.414
1.879
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
Assessment of treatment advantages (1=low; 5=highest benefit) 3.812 1.682 0 5
Assessment of treatment administration (1 = no disadvantage; 5=max disadvantage) 3.375 1.455 1 5
Interruptions of treatment (1=yes) 0.25 0.447 0 1
How many interruptions? 0.50 1.095 0 4
Knowledge of new therapies 0.437 0.512 0 1
Fears about the future (1 = fears of generic worsening; 2 = fears of increased limitations) 1.375 0.500 1 2
Risk of worsening (lower limit) 26.666 19.148 0 50
Risk of worsening (upper limit) 57.333 29.391 10 100