title: The evoked potentials score improves the identification of benign MS without cognitive impairment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The presence of cognitive impairments (CI) among Benign MS (BMS) patients has challenged actual BMS criteria. We hypothesized that a low evoked potentials score (EP-score) at first neurological evaluation would help identify BMS patients without CI.
  
  
  METHODS
  The EP-score was retrospectively computed in 29 putative BMS patients who were then tested for CI during 2012. The difference in the prevalence of CI between low EP-score patients and the recent literature was assessed using resampling methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 23 low EP-score patients, only 3 (13%) had CI. This percentage was significantly reduced (P-values 0.05-0.005) compared to recent literature (39-46%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that a low EP-score at first neurological evaluation successfully helps to identify BMS patients without CI.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Neurophysiology, Scientific Institute (IRCCS) S. Maria Nascente, Don C. Gnocchi Foundation, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Margaritella
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mendozzi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tronci
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Colicino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garegnani
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nemni
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gilardi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pugnetti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: benign MS; cognition; evoked potentials; evoked potentials score; multiple sclerosis; resampling methods