Use of ICF categories in patients with myasthenia gravis, migraine and Parkinson’s disease: similarities and differences.

Background and Aims: The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is intended to describe functioning both at individual and population levels, making it possible to determine similari- ties and differences and, therefore, to plan person-based interventions and policy actions. Aim of this study is to report on similarities and differ- ences in a sample of patients with Myasthenia Gravis (MG), Migraine and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Material and Method: Patients were consecutively enrolled from clini- cal samples, and ICF checklist was applied to identify relevant ICF catego- ries, used in at least 30% of patients. Data were recoded in a dichotomous way to detect the presence/absence of problems. Cross-tabulation with Contingency Coefficient were used to report when ICF categories were specific to one or two diseases or when was common to the three diseases. Result: 300 patients—102 with MG, 102 with Migraine, 96 with PD— were enrolled. 43 ICF categories were selected. Among Body Functions and Structures, some categories described disease-specific issues, such as pain in Migraine, immunological system impairment in MG and involun- tary movements in PD. Similar results were achieved among Activities and Participation: problems with remunerative employment were specific to Migraine patients, drinking to MG and dressing to PD patients. Among Environmental Factors, majority of categories were commonly used, essentially as facilitators, in all the three conditions. Conclusion: Results showed that it is possible to detect differences, mainly at the level of Body Functions and Structures and of Activities and Participation, thus supporting ICF’s utility in planning person-centered interventions. They also show that it is possible to detect similarities, mainly in Environmental Factor, supporting ICF’s utility for health and social policy actions.