Contributions
Abstract: P843
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Pathology and pathogenesis of MS - Neuropsychology
Background: Disease Modifying Drug (DMD) treatment may have a beneficial impact on work functioning in patients with MS through a reduction in frequency and severity of relapses, delayed progression of disability or reduced fatigue. Alternatively, adverse reactions to DMD treatment may negatively impact work functioning. Previous studies on the effects of DMD treatment on work participation provided conflicting results. The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between DMD treatment and work functioning in patients with MS, while accounting for the effects of demographic and clinical variables.
Methods: 161 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (76% female, median age: 45 years, median Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score: 2.0, 84% employed) underwent neurological and neuropsychological examinations and completed questionnaires on demographics, work functioning and disease-related variables. Univariate and multivariate logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted to examine predictors of work functioning in terms of employment status, absenteeism, presenteeism, work role functioning, work ability and work difficulties. As predictors we included interferon-beta, glatiramer acetate, fingolimod or any DMD use, age, gender, disease duration, number of relapses in the past year, presence of comorbidity, physical functioning (EDSS), information processing speed (Symbol Digit Modalities Test) and fatigue (Modified Fatigue Impact Scale).
Results: Less fatigue was associated with higher odds of being in employment (R2=.17; p< 0.001, B(SE)=-0.09(0.02)), lower presenteeism (R2=0.37; p=0.001, B(SE)=0.08(0.01)), higher work ability (R2=0.40; p=0.001, B(SE)=-0.07(0.01)) and less work difficulties (R2=0.44; p=0.001, B(SE)=0.56(0.06)). Interferon use as opposed to no DMD use was additionally associated with lower presenteeism (R2=0.37; R2 change=0.05; p=0.03, B(SE)=0.43 (0.19)). Most variance in the model of presenteeism was explained by fatigue.
Conclusions: Fatigue was consistently, and moderately to strongly associated with work functioning, while other demographic and disease-related factors were not associated with work functioning. Interferon use was weakly associated with lower presenteeism. Our findings highlight the importance of appropriate fatigue management in work functioning.
Disclosure: K. van der Hiele received honoraria for consultancies, presentations and advisory boards from Sanofi Genzyme and Merck Serono.
D. A. M. van Gorp received honoraria for presentations from Sanofi Genzyme.
P.J. Jongen received honoraria from Bayer, Merck Serono and Teva for contributions to symposia as a speaker or for educational or consultancy activities.
M.F. Reneman reports no competing interests.
J.J.L. van der Klink reports no competing interests.
E.P.J. Arnoldus reports personal fees from honoraria for lectures, and honoraria for advisory boards from Teva, Merck Serono, Sanofi Genzyme, Biogen and Novartis.
E.A.C. Beenakker reports no competing interests.
H.M. Bos reports no competing interests.
J.J.J. van Eijk received honoraria for lectures, travel grants and honoraria for advisory boards from Teva, Merck Serono, Sanofi Genzyme, Biogen, Roche and Novartis.
S.T.F.M. Frequin received honoraria for lectures, grants for research, and advisory boards from Teva, Merck Serono, Sanofi Genzyme, Biogen, Novartis, and Roche.
G.J.D. Hengstman reports grants and personal fees from Biogen, Novartis, Teva, Merck Serono, and Sanofi Genzyme.
E. Hoitsma reports honoraria for lectures, travel grants and honoraria for advisory boards from Novartis, Teva, Roche, Merck Serono, Sanofi Genzyme, Biogen and Bayer
J.P. Mostert reports personal fees from Novartis, Merck Serono, Genzyme and Teva
P.H.M. Pop reports no competing interests
W.I.M. Verhagen received honoraria for lectures from Biogen and Merck Serono, reimbursement for hospitality from Biogen, Teva, Sanofi Genzyme and Merck Serono, and honoraria for advisory boards from Merck Serono.
G.A.M. Verheul reports no competing interests
D. Zemel received honoraria for advisory boards from Novartis, Merck Serono, Sanofi Genzyme and Biogen.
M.A.P. Heerings reports no competing interests
H. Middelkoop reports no competing interests
R.M.M. Hupperts received honoraria for lectures, grants for research and honoraria for advisory boards from Merck Serono, Novartis, Sanofi Genzyme and Biogen.
L.H. Visser received honoraria for lectures, grants for research and honoraria for advisory boards from Sanofi Genzyme, Merck Serono, Novartis and Teva.
Source of funding: The MS@Work study is financed by the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Teva Pharmaceuticals and ZonMw (TOP Grant, project number: 842003003).
Abstract: P843
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Pathology and pathogenesis of MS - Neuropsychology
Background: Disease Modifying Drug (DMD) treatment may have a beneficial impact on work functioning in patients with MS through a reduction in frequency and severity of relapses, delayed progression of disability or reduced fatigue. Alternatively, adverse reactions to DMD treatment may negatively impact work functioning. Previous studies on the effects of DMD treatment on work participation provided conflicting results. The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between DMD treatment and work functioning in patients with MS, while accounting for the effects of demographic and clinical variables.
Methods: 161 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (76% female, median age: 45 years, median Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score: 2.0, 84% employed) underwent neurological and neuropsychological examinations and completed questionnaires on demographics, work functioning and disease-related variables. Univariate and multivariate logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted to examine predictors of work functioning in terms of employment status, absenteeism, presenteeism, work role functioning, work ability and work difficulties. As predictors we included interferon-beta, glatiramer acetate, fingolimod or any DMD use, age, gender, disease duration, number of relapses in the past year, presence of comorbidity, physical functioning (EDSS), information processing speed (Symbol Digit Modalities Test) and fatigue (Modified Fatigue Impact Scale).
Results: Less fatigue was associated with higher odds of being in employment (R2=.17; p< 0.001, B(SE)=-0.09(0.02)), lower presenteeism (R2=0.37; p=0.001, B(SE)=0.08(0.01)), higher work ability (R2=0.40; p=0.001, B(SE)=-0.07(0.01)) and less work difficulties (R2=0.44; p=0.001, B(SE)=0.56(0.06)). Interferon use as opposed to no DMD use was additionally associated with lower presenteeism (R2=0.37; R2 change=0.05; p=0.03, B(SE)=0.43 (0.19)). Most variance in the model of presenteeism was explained by fatigue.
Conclusions: Fatigue was consistently, and moderately to strongly associated with work functioning, while other demographic and disease-related factors were not associated with work functioning. Interferon use was weakly associated with lower presenteeism. Our findings highlight the importance of appropriate fatigue management in work functioning.
Disclosure: K. van der Hiele received honoraria for consultancies, presentations and advisory boards from Sanofi Genzyme and Merck Serono.
D. A. M. van Gorp received honoraria for presentations from Sanofi Genzyme.
P.J. Jongen received honoraria from Bayer, Merck Serono and Teva for contributions to symposia as a speaker or for educational or consultancy activities.
M.F. Reneman reports no competing interests.
J.J.L. van der Klink reports no competing interests.
E.P.J. Arnoldus reports personal fees from honoraria for lectures, and honoraria for advisory boards from Teva, Merck Serono, Sanofi Genzyme, Biogen and Novartis.
E.A.C. Beenakker reports no competing interests.
H.M. Bos reports no competing interests.
J.J.J. van Eijk received honoraria for lectures, travel grants and honoraria for advisory boards from Teva, Merck Serono, Sanofi Genzyme, Biogen, Roche and Novartis.
S.T.F.M. Frequin received honoraria for lectures, grants for research, and advisory boards from Teva, Merck Serono, Sanofi Genzyme, Biogen, Novartis, and Roche.
G.J.D. Hengstman reports grants and personal fees from Biogen, Novartis, Teva, Merck Serono, and Sanofi Genzyme.
E. Hoitsma reports honoraria for lectures, travel grants and honoraria for advisory boards from Novartis, Teva, Roche, Merck Serono, Sanofi Genzyme, Biogen and Bayer
J.P. Mostert reports personal fees from Novartis, Merck Serono, Genzyme and Teva
P.H.M. Pop reports no competing interests
W.I.M. Verhagen received honoraria for lectures from Biogen and Merck Serono, reimbursement for hospitality from Biogen, Teva, Sanofi Genzyme and Merck Serono, and honoraria for advisory boards from Merck Serono.
G.A.M. Verheul reports no competing interests
D. Zemel received honoraria for advisory boards from Novartis, Merck Serono, Sanofi Genzyme and Biogen.
M.A.P. Heerings reports no competing interests
H. Middelkoop reports no competing interests
R.M.M. Hupperts received honoraria for lectures, grants for research and honoraria for advisory boards from Merck Serono, Novartis, Sanofi Genzyme and Biogen.
L.H. Visser received honoraria for lectures, grants for research and honoraria for advisory boards from Sanofi Genzyme, Merck Serono, Novartis and Teva.
Source of funding: The MS@Work study is financed by the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Teva Pharmaceuticals and ZonMw (TOP Grant, project number: 842003003).