title: Symptom clusters in women with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
abstract: The purpose of this secondary analysis was to investigate the relationships among a set of symptoms (fatigue, depression, impaired cognitive function, sleep disturbance) with pain severity and demographic variables. The sample of 40 women with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis completed instruments of pain, fatigue, depression, sleep disturbance, and an objective cognitive measure. Analysis identified one symptom cluster of pain, fatigue, depression, sleep disturbance, and impaired cognitive function, whereas a relationship between that symptom cluster and employment status existed. Pain severity correlated with fatigue, sleep disturbance, depression, and impaired cognitive function. Preliminary findings support providing education on symptoms to women with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis to ultimately guide their care.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL, USA. pnewlan@siue.edu
authors.forename: Pamela K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Newland
authors.forename: Arleen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fearing
authors.forename: Marguerite
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riley
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neath
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000451:nursing; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology* / Q000451:nursing; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology* / Q000451:nursing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000150:complications* / Q000451:nursing; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000451:nursing; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000451:nursing