Research fatigue in MSers

Epub: Ghajarzadeh et ak. Fatigue in multiple sclerosis: relationship with disease duration, physical disability, disease pattern, age and sex. Acta Neurol Belg. 2013 Apr 25.

Background: To evaluate the relationship between disease duration, disability, disease pattern, age and sex with fatigue in MS patients. 

Methods: One hundred and seventy-three clinically definite MS patients and 87 age-matched healthy controls enrolled in this cross sectional study. Demographic data (sex, age), duration of the disease and disease pattern extracted from patient's files and Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) were recorded for each patient by an expert neurologist. Participants were asked to answer the validated and reliable Depression and Fatigue questionnaires. 

Results: Mean fatigue and depression scores were significantly different between patients and controls (p < 0.001). Patients with longer disease duration, higher EDSS and progressive type of disease had significantly higher fatigue and depression scores. Although men had higher EDSS, fatigue and depression scores were similar in both sex groups. Fatigue was significantly correlated with age, disease duration, depression and EDSS score.

Conclusions: MS patients with longer disease duration, higher EDSS and progressive type of disease suffer from fatigue more than cases with lower EDSS, duration of disease and relapsing type of the disease.


Fatigue and depression accumulate with disease duration.

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