Contributions
Abstract: EP1547
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Pathology and pathogenesis of MS - Neuropsychology
Introduction: Fatigue is a common multi-dimensional symptom of patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), characterised by a sense of tiredness, exhaustion or a lack of physical and mental energy that affects physical and cognitive functioning related to their work, social tasks and daily life. Due to high prevalence of fatigue in MS, this study aims to identify its modifiable contributing factors.
Methods: Ninety-five patients (61 females; 34 males) were included. Aged between 17 and 68 years (M= 38.2, DP=11.1), mostly were married (53.7%) and employed (61.1%). The most prevalent refers to relapsing-remitting type (92.6%), with mean (SD) disease duration of 6.5 (5.9) years, median EDSS of 1.5 and median MMSS of 2.0. Fatigue, anxiety/depression, and cognition were assessed with the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS), respectively. A chi-square test of independence was performed to examine the relation between fatigue and cognitive impairment, and t-test for independent group's analysis was conducted to test differences between patients with or without fatigue (cut-off 37) in BICAMS' tests. Multivariate analysis was run to examine correlations between fatigue and cognitive and emotional variables.
Results: We found that 45 patients had fatigue, 38 anxiety, 21 depressive symptoms and 22 were cognitively impaired. Patients with fatigue were more likely to show cognitive impairment (X2 (1, N= 95)= 10.27, p< 0.01) as they performed worse than patients without fatigue in all cognitive tests (SDMT (t(93)= 5.41, p= .000), CVLT (t(93)= 4.03, p= .000), BVMT (t(93)= 2.80, p= .006). Analysis showed a negative association between fatigue and all cognitive tests (specially SDMT: r= - 0.449, p= .000) and a positive association between fatigue and anxiety and depression. Regression analysis showed that most relevant predictors of fatigue are SDMT, anxiety and depression.
Conclusion: Our results show that not only cognitive variables, but also emotional factors are related to the presence of fatigue. This highlights the importance of comprehensive psychological intervention in MS, including emotional support that could help patients to cope with symptoms contributing to fatigue, besides cognitive training.
Disclosure: Telma Miranda: nothing to disclose
Cláudia Sousa: nothing to disclose
Mariana Neves: nothing to disclose
Ana Passos: nothing to disclose
Maria José Sá: nothing to disclose
Abstract: EP1547
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Pathology and pathogenesis of MS - Neuropsychology
Introduction: Fatigue is a common multi-dimensional symptom of patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), characterised by a sense of tiredness, exhaustion or a lack of physical and mental energy that affects physical and cognitive functioning related to their work, social tasks and daily life. Due to high prevalence of fatigue in MS, this study aims to identify its modifiable contributing factors.
Methods: Ninety-five patients (61 females; 34 males) were included. Aged between 17 and 68 years (M= 38.2, DP=11.1), mostly were married (53.7%) and employed (61.1%). The most prevalent refers to relapsing-remitting type (92.6%), with mean (SD) disease duration of 6.5 (5.9) years, median EDSS of 1.5 and median MMSS of 2.0. Fatigue, anxiety/depression, and cognition were assessed with the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS), respectively. A chi-square test of independence was performed to examine the relation between fatigue and cognitive impairment, and t-test for independent group's analysis was conducted to test differences between patients with or without fatigue (cut-off 37) in BICAMS' tests. Multivariate analysis was run to examine correlations between fatigue and cognitive and emotional variables.
Results: We found that 45 patients had fatigue, 38 anxiety, 21 depressive symptoms and 22 were cognitively impaired. Patients with fatigue were more likely to show cognitive impairment (X2 (1, N= 95)= 10.27, p< 0.01) as they performed worse than patients without fatigue in all cognitive tests (SDMT (t(93)= 5.41, p= .000), CVLT (t(93)= 4.03, p= .000), BVMT (t(93)= 2.80, p= .006). Analysis showed a negative association between fatigue and all cognitive tests (specially SDMT: r= - 0.449, p= .000) and a positive association between fatigue and anxiety and depression. Regression analysis showed that most relevant predictors of fatigue are SDMT, anxiety and depression.
Conclusion: Our results show that not only cognitive variables, but also emotional factors are related to the presence of fatigue. This highlights the importance of comprehensive psychological intervention in MS, including emotional support that could help patients to cope with symptoms contributing to fatigue, besides cognitive training.
Disclosure: Telma Miranda: nothing to disclose
Cláudia Sousa: nothing to disclose
Mariana Neves: nothing to disclose
Ana Passos: nothing to disclose
Maria José Sá: nothing to disclose