Quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis in Republic of Srpska.

AIM

To estimate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and to investigate relationship between HRQoL and selected demographic and clinical parameters.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study HRQoL was measured using the MS-specific MSQoL-54 questionnaire. Neurological impairment was assessed using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), and presence of depression and anxiety using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS). Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and correlation analysis.

RESULTS

The results confirmed that physical disability had a significant impact on HRQoL. Correlations were the strongest for the domains of physical health (PH) (r=-0.718), overall quality of life (QL) (r=-0.528), satisfaction with sexual function (r=-0.493) and role limitations due to emotional problems (r=-0.493) of MSQoL- 54 scales. It was found that there were statistically significant correlations between composite score of PH of MSQoL-54 scale and duration of MS ( r=-0.381), employment status (r=-0.624), educational level (r=0.384), occupation (r= 0.552), and age at disease onset (r=-0.434). There were statistically significant correlations between anxiety and depression and low scores on a majority of MSQoL-54 subscales. Correlations were the strongest for the subscales of QL (r=-0.674), energy (r=-0.629), sexual function (r=-0.579) and PH (r=-0.573) for HARS and QL (r=-0.751), PH (r=-0.629) and satisfaction with sexual function (r=-0.612) for HDRS.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that HRQoL is influenced not only by disability itself, but rather by interactions of a range of physical, psychological and social factors.