A neuropsychologically-based intervention with increased follow-up support for employed women with multiple sclerosis: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Objective: To evaluate feasibility and acceptability of a neuropsychologically-based vocational intervention with increased follow-up support for women with multiple sclerosis. Design: Single-blinded parallel-group randomized controlled trial with 12-month follow-up. Setting: Tertiary-care multiple sclerosis center. Participants: Forty-nine employed women with multiple sclerosis meeting criteria on measures of cognitive dysfunction (Symbol Digit Modalities Test), fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale), and/or depression (Beck Depression Inventory/Patient Health Questionnaire). Interventions: Participants received either neuropsychological testing and phone feedback regarding findings and tailored recommendations (standard-care treatment), or testing, in-person feedback, and two calls from a care-coordinator (experimental treatment). Measures: Feasibility measures included enrollment and attrition rates, and compliance to recommendations at 12-months between groups. Acceptability was evaluated by participants’ report of benefit from interventions. Secondary analyses included evaluation of symptom changes (cognition, fatigue, depression) from baseline to 12-months. Results: Of 49 women meeting screening measure thresholds, 44 were randomized to treatment groups (attrition: standard-care = 8, experimental = 6), and 30 completed the study (standard-care = 14, experimental = 16). Recommendation adherence rates did not significantly differ between standard-care and experimental groups (31% vs 49%). However, 16/16 experimental participants at least partially completed given recommendations as compared to 8/14 in the standard-care group. Participants across groups (97%) reported benefit from participation. No significant differences in symptom outcomes between groups at 12-months. Conclusion: In-person feedback and care-coordinator calls were feasible and acceptable additions to a neuropsychological intervention and may serve to increase recommendation adherence. Given high drop-out rate, particularly prior to testing, future research may explore avenues to improve completion rates and maximize benefits of such interventions.