Contributions
Abstract: P730
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - Comorbidity
Objective: To assess the impact of comorbidities on daily activity impairment, working status and work productivity in MS, and particularly, to assess which comorbidities mostly impact those outcomes in a large national representative sample.
Methods: Participants in the Australian MS Longitudinal Study completed surveys from August-December 2016. Working status, work productivity and daily activity impairment were measured by the work productivity and activity impairment questionnaire (MS version). Information was obtained on the presence of 30 comorbidities, with further detail on whether the comorbidity was doctor diagnosed, limited their activities, and whether the patient was receiving treatment. Severity of 13 MS symptoms were measured by a numeric rating scale (0-10). Data were analysed using log-binomial and Cragg hurdle regression.
Results: Of 1,223 participants included, the most prevalent comorbidities were depression (42%), anxiety (39%), allergies (37%), high blood pressure (30%), migraines (28%), high cholesterol level (24%), osteoarthritis (23%), cancer (15%), anaemia (14%) and osteoporosis (13%). Among common comorbidities, the mean total work productivity loss was higher for those with osteoporosis (22.4%), anaemia (20.3%), depression (17.8%), migraines (16.5%) and allergies (16.1%) while the mean loss for those with no comorbidity was 7.82%. Significant dose-response relationships were observed between the total number of comorbidities that limited activities and working status (test for trend, P=0.002), work productivity loss (P< 0.001) and daily activity impairment score (P< 0.001). The severity of MS symptom were correlated with comorbidities, and the associations between the total number of comorbidities and work outcomes were dramatically reduced after adjustment for symptom severity.
Conclusions: Comorbidities significantly impair daily activity, affect workforce participation and work productivity in MS. The associations between comorbidities and work outcomes were mediated by MS symptom severity, indicating that the optimal management of comorbidities may reduce MS symptom severity, which in turn may reduce daily activity impairment and improve work outcomes.
Disclosure: The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.
Abstract: P730
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - Comorbidity
Objective: To assess the impact of comorbidities on daily activity impairment, working status and work productivity in MS, and particularly, to assess which comorbidities mostly impact those outcomes in a large national representative sample.
Methods: Participants in the Australian MS Longitudinal Study completed surveys from August-December 2016. Working status, work productivity and daily activity impairment were measured by the work productivity and activity impairment questionnaire (MS version). Information was obtained on the presence of 30 comorbidities, with further detail on whether the comorbidity was doctor diagnosed, limited their activities, and whether the patient was receiving treatment. Severity of 13 MS symptoms were measured by a numeric rating scale (0-10). Data were analysed using log-binomial and Cragg hurdle regression.
Results: Of 1,223 participants included, the most prevalent comorbidities were depression (42%), anxiety (39%), allergies (37%), high blood pressure (30%), migraines (28%), high cholesterol level (24%), osteoarthritis (23%), cancer (15%), anaemia (14%) and osteoporosis (13%). Among common comorbidities, the mean total work productivity loss was higher for those with osteoporosis (22.4%), anaemia (20.3%), depression (17.8%), migraines (16.5%) and allergies (16.1%) while the mean loss for those with no comorbidity was 7.82%. Significant dose-response relationships were observed between the total number of comorbidities that limited activities and working status (test for trend, P=0.002), work productivity loss (P< 0.001) and daily activity impairment score (P< 0.001). The severity of MS symptom were correlated with comorbidities, and the associations between the total number of comorbidities and work outcomes were dramatically reduced after adjustment for symptom severity.
Conclusions: Comorbidities significantly impair daily activity, affect workforce participation and work productivity in MS. The associations between comorbidities and work outcomes were mediated by MS symptom severity, indicating that the optimal management of comorbidities may reduce MS symptom severity, which in turn may reduce daily activity impairment and improve work outcomes.
Disclosure: The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.