Increased disability, depression and anxiety symptoms, fatigue, and physical comorbidity are associated with decreased health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent study. Researchers who examined a sample of 949 adults with MS from 4 MS clinics found that disability most strongly diminishes HRQoL and therefore, interventions that reduce disability are anticipated to yield the most substantial improvement in HRQoL. They also determined:

• Interventions targeting other factors, particularly depression but also anxiety, fatigue, and physical comorbidities, may also result in significant improvements in HRQoL.

• Overall, disability status most strongly affected HRQoL (β=-0.52) but was closely followed by depressive symptoms (β=-0.50).

• Direct associations of physical comorbidity and anxiety with HRQoL were small (β=-0.08 and -0.10, respectively), but these associations were stronger when indirect effects through other variables (depression, fatigue) were also considered (physical comorbidity: β=-0.20; anxiety: β=-0.34).

Citation: Berrigan L, Fisk J, Patten S, et al. Health-related quality of life in multiple sclerosis. [Published online ahead of print April 12, 2016]. Neurology. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000002564.