title: Emotional state of patients with relapsing-remitting MS treated with interferon beta-1b.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depression has been cited as a possible side effect of interferon beta-1b (IFNbeta-1b) therapy in patients with MS. This association remains unproven because of a lack of longitudinal studies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the changes in emotional state in relapsing-remitting (RR) MS patients during the first 2 years of treatment with IFNbeta-1b.
  
  
  METHODS
  Emotional state was evaluated in a sample of 90 patients at the onset of IFNbeta-1b treatment during an inclusion period of 2.5 years. Seventy-five patients were evaluated at their 12th month of treatment and 56 patients at their 24th month. We assessed their emotional state with the following psychological tests: Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found significant improvement in emotional state after the first and second years of treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings show that IFNbeta-1b does not increase depression or anxiety in RR MS patients during the first and second years of IFNbeta-1b treatment. In fact, slight but significant improvement in depression and anxiety symptoms was observed during this period.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain. cborras@hg.vhebron.es
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borràs
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Río
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Porcel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barrios
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tintoré
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Montalban
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
chemical_list: D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a