Improving MS patients' understanding of treatment risks and benefits in clinical consultations: A randomised crossover trial.

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients find it difficult to understand the complex risk-benefit profiles of disease-modifying drugs. An evidence-based protocol was designed to improve patient's understanding of treatment information: Benefit and Risk Information for Medication in Multiple Sclerosis (BRIMMS).

Objective: A feasibility study to evaluate whether the BRIMMS protocol can improve MS patients' treatment understanding and reduce conflict in treatment decisions compared to consultation as usual.

Design: Single-blind 4-condition 4-period randomised crossover trial. Hypothetical treatment information was presented to MS patients in a faux 20 minute consultation session using the BRIMMS protocol (aural and visual) or as a usual consultation (aural and visual). Patients were randomised to the order in which they received the four consultation styles.

Participants: 24 patients diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS.

Measures: Patients were assessed on their comprehension of treatment information, decisional conflict and feedback on consultation styles. Disease and demographic information was also collected.

Results: Treatment understanding was greater for both BRIMMS visual and BRIMMS aural, compared to usual consultations in visual or aural format. Similarly, BRIMMS visual and BRIMMS aural reduced decisional conflict compared to usual consultations in visual or aural formats. All comparisons were p<0.001. Cognitive status was not related to understanding in the BRIMMS protocol, but was negatively related with usual consultation. Conversely, mood influenced understanding on the BRIMMS protocol but not for usual consultation.

Conclusions: BRIMMS protocol offers an effective, evidence-based tool for presenting treatment information in consultations with MS patients and is not influenced by cognition.

Trial Registration: ISRCTN17318966.