Quality of life in patients with HTLV-I associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the quality of life (QoL) of patients with HTLV-I-associate myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and to correlate it with specific aspects of the disease.


METHODS
Fifty-seven HAM/TSP patients completed the SF-36 QoL questionnaire. They were also asked about common complaints related to the disease, and we looked for associations between QoL and these complaints.


RESULTS
Patients with HAM/TSP showed a strong negative association to QoL. Pain was the condition which most affected their QoL. The practice of physical activity is associated with better QoL in five out of eight domains of the scale.


CONCLUSIONS
HAM/TSP leads to a poor QoL, mostly influenced by pain. Physical activity may have a positive association to QoL of these patients.
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. josevicentemartins@terra.com.br
José Vicente Pereira
JV
Martins
Abrahão Fontes
AF
Baptista
Abelardo de Queiroz Campos
Ade Q
Araújo
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000150:complications*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires