title: European neuroborreliosis: quality of life 30 months after treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prognosis after Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) is debated. The aim of this study was to assess health-related Quality of Life (QoL) and neurological symptoms 30 months after treatment in European patients with LNB.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective case-control designed study, we investigated 50 well-characterized patients with LNB who had participated in a treatment trial for LNB 30 months earlier and 50 matched control persons with the health QoL questionnaire Short-Form 36 (SF-36), the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), the Montgomery and Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), the Starkstein Apathy Scale (SAS), and the Mini Mental State (MMS). Clinical and demographic data were collected by semi-structured interviews and clinical neurological examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lyme neuroborreliosis-treated patients scored lower than control persons in the SF-36 domains physical component summary (PCS) (44 vs 51 P < 0.001) and mental component summary (MCS) (49 vs 54 P = 0.010). They also scored lower than control persons in all the SF-36 subscales, except for bodily pain, and on FSS (3.5 vs 2.1 P < 0.001), but not on MMS (28 vs 29 P = 0.106). There was a difference in MADRS (3.1 vs 0. 8 P = 0.003) and SAS (13 vs 11 P = 0.016), but the scores were low in both groups. Fatigue was the most frequently reported symptom among LNB-treated patients (50%). Patients who reported complete recovery (56%) after LNB had similar QoL scores as the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  European persons treated for LNB have poorer health-related QoL and have more fatigue than persons without LNB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway. randi.eikeland@sshf.no
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eikeland
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mygland
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Herlofson
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ljøstad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000639:trends; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020852:Lyme Neuroborreliosis / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult