Pseudobulbar affect prevalence in Turkish multiple sclerosis patients

Abstract

Objective: Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is characterized by uncontrolled crying or laughing attacks which are usually socially inappropriate. The estimated prevalence in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) ranges from 10% to 46.2%. We conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate the prevalence of PBA in the Turkish MS population. Also, we aimed to estimate whether there was gender preference or coexistent depression. Material and Methods: We used the Center for Neurologic Study - Lability Scale (CNS-LS) for this study. We included patients who were followed up at our outpatient clinic of Sultan Abdulhamid Han Education and Research Hospital with definitive diagnosis of MS at least for one year. The total number of patients was 328. 60.4% were women (198/328) and 39.6% were men (130/328). Descriptive statistical methods, student t test and chi-square tests were used for the analysis by using SPSS. The prevalence of PBA in the Turkish MS population was 39.6%. 34.6% of the men with MS had PBA; whereas 42.9% of the women with MS had PBA (p=0.132). The incidence of PBA was 48.1% in MS patients with depression and 38% in those without depression (p=0.175). Results: As a result of t-test applied it was understood that depression did not significantly contribute to PBA frequency. The average depression test score was 13.28 in non-depressed, 17.85 in others. Furthermore, there was a difference between pathological laughing and pathological crying (p<0.05). Also, in both gender pathological laughing laughter was more and the difference was significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our study revealed the increased frequency of PBA in MS patients. Gender and having depression did not make a significant difference on the PBA prevalence. However, depression significantly increased PBA test scores