Contributions
Abstract: EP1395
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - Clinical assessment tools
Background: Treatment burden refers to the workload healthcare imposes on patients. It can affect treatment adherence, quality of life (QoL) and reported outcomes. The Treatment Burden Questionnaire (TBQ) aims to assess TB for different medical conditions and under varying treatment contexts. The objective of this study was to assess treatment burden in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients.
Methods: A group of 33 MS patients completed the following questionnaires and scales: TBQ total and TBQ13, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC) , Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS), Multiple Sclerosis International Quality of Life Questionnaire (MuSiQoL), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), MOS social support scale, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Moriski Medication adherence scale-4 (MMAS-4) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Agreement levels between patients and physicians were studied.
Results: 33 patients (20 females), aged 43.6+12 years, were evaluated. Patients with different clinical forms of MS (52.9 % RRMS, 17.6% SPMS, 23.5 % PPMS, 5.9 % CIS),and varying degrees of: disease duration (10+9.3 years); neurological status (EDSS mean 2.1 range 0-8) and/or type of disease-modifying treatment (injectable 26.5%, oral 26.4%, monoclonal antibodies 14.7% or none 32.4%) were included. Total number of pills/ injections (including symptomatic treatments) used per patient per day was 3.69+2.32. Presence of comorbidities was also assessed (11.8% were smokers, 15.2% had a BMI >30 and 41.1 % had at least one other vascular risk factor). Mean total TBQ was 38.7+26.2 and TBQ13 was 33+22.6. TBQ showed positive correlation with fatigue (TBQ total r=0.467, p 0.006) (TBQ13 r=0.512, p 0.002) and negative correlation with QoL (TBQtotal r=- 0.480, p 0.005) (TBQ13 r =-0.483, p 0.004). No correlation was observed with EDSS or any other scale.
Conclusions: In this preliminary study, the TBQ showed adequate correlation with QoL scales in MS patients. Although further validation is needed, TBQs may therefore be used as a patient report outcome, and thus contribute to more tailored drug prescription by physicians, taking into account not only efficacy and safety of available treatment modalities, but also degree of treatment burden associated to adherence.
Disclosure: This study was supported by Novartis IIT. In the last three years: Dr. Ysrraelit has received reimbursement for developing educational presentations, advisory boards and travel/accommodations stipends from Merck Argentina, Biogen Argentina, Genzyme Argentina, Bayer Inc and Novartis Argentina. Dr. Fiol has received reimbursement for developing educational presentations, advisory boards and travel/accommodations stipends from Merck Argentina, Biogen Argentina, Genzyme Argentina, Bayer Inc, Novartis Argentina and TEVA Argentina. Dr S Vanotti has received reimbursement for developing educational presentations from Biogen Argentina and Novartis Argentina.
Dr. Vasquez has received reimbursement for research coaching presentations and travel/accommodations stipends by Fundación MF para el Desarrollo de la Medicina Familiar y la Atención Primaria, Argentina.Dr. Terrasa has received reimbursement for research coaching presentations and travel/accommodations stipends by Fundación MF para el Desarrollo de la Medicina Familiar y la Atención Primaria, Argentina.
Dr Correale is a board member of Merck-Serono Argentina, Novartis Argentina, Genzyme LATAM, Genzyme global, Biogen-Idec LATAM, and Merck-Serono LATAM. He is part of the Steering Committee for the clinical trials of Ofatumumab (Novartis Global). Dr. Correale has received reimbursement for developing educational presentations for Merck-Serono Argentina, Merck-Serono LATAM, Biogen-Idec Argentina, Genzyme Argentina, Novartis Argentina, Novartis LATAM, Novartis Global, and TEVA Argentina as well as professional travel/accommodations stipends
Abstract: EP1395
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - Clinical assessment tools
Background: Treatment burden refers to the workload healthcare imposes on patients. It can affect treatment adherence, quality of life (QoL) and reported outcomes. The Treatment Burden Questionnaire (TBQ) aims to assess TB for different medical conditions and under varying treatment contexts. The objective of this study was to assess treatment burden in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients.
Methods: A group of 33 MS patients completed the following questionnaires and scales: TBQ total and TBQ13, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC) , Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS), Multiple Sclerosis International Quality of Life Questionnaire (MuSiQoL), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), MOS social support scale, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Moriski Medication adherence scale-4 (MMAS-4) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Agreement levels between patients and physicians were studied.
Results: 33 patients (20 females), aged 43.6+12 years, were evaluated. Patients with different clinical forms of MS (52.9 % RRMS, 17.6% SPMS, 23.5 % PPMS, 5.9 % CIS),and varying degrees of: disease duration (10+9.3 years); neurological status (EDSS mean 2.1 range 0-8) and/or type of disease-modifying treatment (injectable 26.5%, oral 26.4%, monoclonal antibodies 14.7% or none 32.4%) were included. Total number of pills/ injections (including symptomatic treatments) used per patient per day was 3.69+2.32. Presence of comorbidities was also assessed (11.8% were smokers, 15.2% had a BMI >30 and 41.1 % had at least one other vascular risk factor). Mean total TBQ was 38.7+26.2 and TBQ13 was 33+22.6. TBQ showed positive correlation with fatigue (TBQ total r=0.467, p 0.006) (TBQ13 r=0.512, p 0.002) and negative correlation with QoL (TBQtotal r=- 0.480, p 0.005) (TBQ13 r =-0.483, p 0.004). No correlation was observed with EDSS or any other scale.
Conclusions: In this preliminary study, the TBQ showed adequate correlation with QoL scales in MS patients. Although further validation is needed, TBQs may therefore be used as a patient report outcome, and thus contribute to more tailored drug prescription by physicians, taking into account not only efficacy and safety of available treatment modalities, but also degree of treatment burden associated to adherence.
Disclosure: This study was supported by Novartis IIT. In the last three years: Dr. Ysrraelit has received reimbursement for developing educational presentations, advisory boards and travel/accommodations stipends from Merck Argentina, Biogen Argentina, Genzyme Argentina, Bayer Inc and Novartis Argentina. Dr. Fiol has received reimbursement for developing educational presentations, advisory boards and travel/accommodations stipends from Merck Argentina, Biogen Argentina, Genzyme Argentina, Bayer Inc, Novartis Argentina and TEVA Argentina. Dr S Vanotti has received reimbursement for developing educational presentations from Biogen Argentina and Novartis Argentina.
Dr. Vasquez has received reimbursement for research coaching presentations and travel/accommodations stipends by Fundación MF para el Desarrollo de la Medicina Familiar y la Atención Primaria, Argentina.Dr. Terrasa has received reimbursement for research coaching presentations and travel/accommodations stipends by Fundación MF para el Desarrollo de la Medicina Familiar y la Atención Primaria, Argentina.
Dr Correale is a board member of Merck-Serono Argentina, Novartis Argentina, Genzyme LATAM, Genzyme global, Biogen-Idec LATAM, and Merck-Serono LATAM. He is part of the Steering Committee for the clinical trials of Ofatumumab (Novartis Global). Dr. Correale has received reimbursement for developing educational presentations for Merck-Serono Argentina, Merck-Serono LATAM, Biogen-Idec Argentina, Genzyme Argentina, Novartis Argentina, Novartis LATAM, Novartis Global, and TEVA Argentina as well as professional travel/accommodations stipends