## Can EHR-Derived Endpoints Reliably Measure MS Disability Progression?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex, chronic disease that affects the central nervous system, leading to a wide range of symptoms and disability over time. Tracking how MS progresses is crucial for patient care, research, and drug development. Traditionally, this has been done using clinical assessments like the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), which rates disability from 0 (no symptoms) to 10 (death due to MS). But as healthcare becomes more digital, there’s growing interest in whether data from electronic health records (EHRs) can reliably measure MS disability progression. This article explores what EHR-derived endpoints are, how they compare to traditional measures, their strengths and limitations, and what this means for patients and researchers.
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## What Are EHR-Derived Endpoints?
Electronic health records are digital versions of patients’ paper charts. They contain information like doctor’s notes, test results, prescriptions, hospital visits, and more. An “endpoint” in medical research is a specific outcome used to measure the effect of a treatment or the progression of a disease. An EHR-derived endpoint uses data already collected in these records—such as the frequency of relapses, hospitalizations
