Emotional state of patients with relapsing-remitting MS treated with interferon beta-1b.
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.
Borràs
C
C
Unit of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain. cborras@hg.vhebron.es
Río
J
J
Porcel
J
J
Barrios
M
M
Tintoré
M
M
Montalban
X
X
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
D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a