Longitudinal course of depression symptoms in multiple sclerosis.
BACKGROUND
Despite the high lifetime prevalence of depression in multiple sclerosis (MS), its longitudinal course is poorly understood.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the longitudinal course of and reliable change in different depression symptom clusters in MS, and the longitudinal association of interferon beta treatment and coping with depression symptoms.


METHODS
53 MS patients were examined at two time points three years apart on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Chicago Multiscale Depression Inventory (CMDI).


RESULTS
Correlations from time 1 to time 2 for BDI, CMDI-total, CMDI-evaluative scale, and CMDI-vegetative scale were all highly significant, and reliable change indices reflected little change over time. In contrast, the correlation over time for the CMDI-mood scale was significantly lower (p<0.05) than the CMDI-evaluative and CMDI-vegetative scale correlations, and over 40% of patients showed reliable change. Patients who improved in their mood showed increased use of active coping, while patients who worsened showed decreased active coping strategies; the latter were also significantly more likely to have been taking interferon beta drugs at both time points than patients who did not change in their mood functioning.


CONCLUSIONS
Mood symptoms of depression are significantly more variable over time than neurovegetative or negative evaluative symptoms in MS patients. Decreased use of active coping strategies may put patients at risk of increased depressed mood, whereas increased use of active coping may result in decreased depressed mood longitudinally. Interferon beta use may put patients at risk of increases in depressed mood.
Arnett
P A
PA
Penn State University, Psychology Department, 522 Bruce V Moore Bldg, University Park, PA 16802-3105, USA. paa6@psu.edu
Randolph
J J
JJ
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D003863:Depression / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic
D016899:Interferon-beta