Contributions
Abstract: EP1386
Type: ePoster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - 7 MS symptoms
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory, demyelinating and degenerative disease of Central Nervous System. The aim of the present study was to evaluate depression, anxiety and alexithymia, which are often associated with MS. 98 subjects were recruited: 51 patients affected by Relapsing Remitting (RR) MS (18 males and 33 females) and 47 healthy controls (CG) (18 males and 29 females) matched by gender, age and education. We recruited participants aged between 23 and 60 (SM group Age: x̄ 45 ± 9.89; Education x̄ 13 ± 3.58; Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) x̄ 2.8 ± 2,05; CG group Age: x̄ 46 ± 10.72; Education x̄ 14 ± 2.63). Diagnosis and type of MS and EDSS score were established by a neurologist not involved in the study. All patients underwent a clinical evaluation, including Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y) for state (STAI y1) and trait (STAI y2) anxiety, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) and the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). None of the subjects obtained a pathological score in the clinical evaluation. We performed a one way ANOVA and a Bonferroni correction was used to analyze the differences between MS patients and CG. The differences were considered significant at α=0,0125. MS group obtained higher and statistically significant scores at BDI-II (p=0,005), TAS (p=0,002), and at STAI-Y, both as regards the trait anxiety, STAI-y1, (p=0,0001) and as regards status anxiety, STAI-y2, (p=0,00009). A correlation study also showed a positive correlation (0,30) between the EDSS scores and alexithymia predisposition. The MS scores at TAS were not pathological, but an higher score at the EDSS correlated with an higher score at TAS. In addition, a negative correlation occurred between FAB and BDI-II (-0,38). An higher score at the BDI-II corresponded to a lower score at FAB and viceversa. Within the MS group, all the clinical scales correlated to each others. In our study MS patients do not have a full-blown depression or anxiety or alexithymia. Our results seem to suggest that our MS patients, although not achieving pathological scores, still have a lower mood and an heightened anxiety compared to CG. These results seems to indicate the importance of an accurate evaluation of the psychological status of the MS patients.
Disclosure:
Guerra A: Nothing to disclosure;
Passafiume D: Nothing to disclosure
Caputi N. : Nothing to disclosure
Fratini MA: Nothing to disclosure
Francia A. Nothing to disclosure
Di Giacomo D. Nothing to disclosure
Abstract: EP1386
Type: ePoster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - 7 MS symptoms
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory, demyelinating and degenerative disease of Central Nervous System. The aim of the present study was to evaluate depression, anxiety and alexithymia, which are often associated with MS. 98 subjects were recruited: 51 patients affected by Relapsing Remitting (RR) MS (18 males and 33 females) and 47 healthy controls (CG) (18 males and 29 females) matched by gender, age and education. We recruited participants aged between 23 and 60 (SM group Age: x̄ 45 ± 9.89; Education x̄ 13 ± 3.58; Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) x̄ 2.8 ± 2,05; CG group Age: x̄ 46 ± 10.72; Education x̄ 14 ± 2.63). Diagnosis and type of MS and EDSS score were established by a neurologist not involved in the study. All patients underwent a clinical evaluation, including Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y) for state (STAI y1) and trait (STAI y2) anxiety, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) and the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). None of the subjects obtained a pathological score in the clinical evaluation. We performed a one way ANOVA and a Bonferroni correction was used to analyze the differences between MS patients and CG. The differences were considered significant at α=0,0125. MS group obtained higher and statistically significant scores at BDI-II (p=0,005), TAS (p=0,002), and at STAI-Y, both as regards the trait anxiety, STAI-y1, (p=0,0001) and as regards status anxiety, STAI-y2, (p=0,00009). A correlation study also showed a positive correlation (0,30) between the EDSS scores and alexithymia predisposition. The MS scores at TAS were not pathological, but an higher score at the EDSS correlated with an higher score at TAS. In addition, a negative correlation occurred between FAB and BDI-II (-0,38). An higher score at the BDI-II corresponded to a lower score at FAB and viceversa. Within the MS group, all the clinical scales correlated to each others. In our study MS patients do not have a full-blown depression or anxiety or alexithymia. Our results seem to suggest that our MS patients, although not achieving pathological scores, still have a lower mood and an heightened anxiety compared to CG. These results seems to indicate the importance of an accurate evaluation of the psychological status of the MS patients.
Disclosure:
Guerra A: Nothing to disclosure;
Passafiume D: Nothing to disclosure
Caputi N. : Nothing to disclosure
Fratini MA: Nothing to disclosure
Francia A. Nothing to disclosure
Di Giacomo D. Nothing to disclosure