Quality of life assessment in patients with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of central nervous system. The main physiopatological feature of MS is demyelination. Multiple sclerosis is one of three most common causes of severe disability in youngest people. In patients with MS, apart from complete psychophysical status and objective neurologic status, a subjective perception of symptoms and signs, known as quality of life, must be considered, too. The aim of this study was to estimate a health related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and to investigate the correlations between scores of HRQoL and selected demographic and clinical parameters. A cross-sectional study was performed in patients meeting following inclusion criteria: MS diagnosis (McDonald's criteria), age 18-60 years, the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) < 8, and written informed consent. Exclusion criteria were exacerbation of MS in the last month, any preexisting major chronic illness and/or psychiatric disorders and antidepressive and/or corticosteroid therapy in the last month. The quality of life was measured by a disease specific instrument, MSQoL-54 (The Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life). The neurological impairment was assessed using the Expended Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and Mini Mental Scale (MMS). The presence and severity of depression was estimated by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). The presence and severity of fatigue was assessed by the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. The higher HRQoL score was registered for mental health (56.3 +/- 19.5) than for physical one (51.3 +/- 17.9), which means that physical disability had more important influence on quality of life deterioration comparing to mental health. The highest values of HRQoL were observed in domains of Cognitive Functioning (77.4 +/- 22.5) and Pain (75.7 +/- 25.5). The lowest scores of HRQoL were registered in domains of Role Limitations due to Physical Problems (32.5 +/- 42.0) and Role Limitations due to Emotional Problems (44.6 +/- 47.8). HRQoL scores statistically significantly correlated with natural history of MS, duration of diseases, employment and marriage status of participants. Deterioration in quality of life scores in the most of MSQoL-54 scales and subscales statistically significantly correlated with the presence and severity of physical disability, depression status and fatigue in patients with MS. This study showed that different demographic and clinical parameters had a major influence on HRQoL impairment in the sample of patients with MS.