{
  "abstract": "Background/Objectives: Handicap (participation restriction) and pain are clinically important but under-investigated outcomes in multiple sclerosis (MS). We examined the London Handicap Scale (LHS) and pain (Visual Analogue Scale, VAS) in relation to disability and other clinical variables. Methods: This secondary, cross-sectional, non-interventional analysis included 65 Slovak patients with MS (study group, SG, n = 32, designated for a 12-week neurorehabilitation program; control group, CG, n = 33, waitlisted), all assessed before rehabilitation. Associations were tested with Spearman correlation (Benjamini–Hochberg-adjusted) and linear regression; groups were compared with the Mann–Whitney test. Results: Disability (EDSS) correlated with LHS (ρ = −0.667) and VAS pain (ρ = 0.457; both p < 0.001), although SF-36 measures correlated more strongly. In adjusted models, EDSS was the only significant predictor, explaining 44.1% of the variance in LHS and 21.1% in VAS pain. LHS and VAS pain did not differ between SG and CG (p = 0.936 and p = 0.770) but differed across EDSS severity subgroups (p < 0.001 and p = 0.007). Conclusions: EDSS is a significant but partial correlate of handicap and pain, supporting their assessment alongside disability staging. The baseline group comparison is descriptive and provides no evidence about the effects of neurorehabilitation.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Care, University of Prešov, 080 01 Prešov, Slovakia",
    "Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 53-370 Wroclaw, Poland",
    "Department of Neurological Rehabilitation, Regional Specialist Hospital in Wroclaw, 51-128 Wroclaw, Poland",
    "Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Wroclaw Medical University, 51-618 Wroclaw, Poland"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Wioletta Mikuľáková",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1189-8771"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Piotr Pobrotyn"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Małgorzata Paprocka-Borowicz",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-4296-7052"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Joanna Rosińczuk",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-7359-2287"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6hw7080nrtttb.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/jcm15218735",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "6hw7080nrtttb",
  "issns": [
    "2077-0383"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/21/8735",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-11-09",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6hw7080nrtttb.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-10T00:21:41Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/jcm15218735",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/21/8735"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "journal-openalex:F27",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Self-Reported Handicap and Pain in Multiple Sclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the London Handicap Scale and Disability Status in a Slovak Neurorehabilitation Cohort",
  "title_text": "Self-Reported Handicap and Pain in Multiple Sclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the London Handicap Scale and Disability Status in a Slovak Neurorehabilitation Cohort",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-10T00:21:41Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6hw7080nrtttb",
  "venue": "Journal of Clinical Medicine",
  "versions": []
}