MSQoL-54 predicts change in fatigue after inpatient rehabilitation for people with multiple sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to investigate the impact of a short-term inpatient rehabilitation program on fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and to assess whether the scales of Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life 54 (MSQoL-54) could predict change in fatigue after rehabilitation.


METHODS
Included in the study were 151 moderately disabled MS patients admitted for 3 weeks of inpatient rehabilitation. Fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale; FSS) was assessed at baseline and after treatment, and quality of life (MSQoL-54), disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale; EDSS) and depression (Beck Depression Inventory; BDI) were estimated at baseline.


RESULTS
Sixty-four percentage of the subjects showed fatigue. Both EDSS (r = 0.720, p = 0.001) and BDI (r = 0.655, p = 0.001) scores showed statistically significant positive correlation with FSS scores. Significant negative correlation was demonstrated between FSS and both, Physical Health Composite (PHC) and Mental Health Composite (MHC) scores of MSQoL-54 (r = -0.770, p = 0.001, and r = -0.646, p = 0.001, respectively). The mean FSS score significantly decreased by 0.19 ± 0.29 points in the fatigue group, immediately after rehabilitation. The multiple regression analyses with change of FSS as dependent variable and baseline scores of MSQoL-54 as independent variables showed statistically significant relation between change in fatigue and baseline PHC score (p = 0.034).


CONCLUSIONS
Inpatient rehabilitation decreased MS patients' fatigue. Change in fatigue was predicted with certain domains of QoL at baseline.
Clinic of Neurology, CCS, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. jelena60@eunet.rs
Jelena
J
Drulovic
Lidija Obradovic
LO
Bursac
Dragana
D
Milojkovic
Darija Kisic
DK
Tepavcevic
Tatjana
T
Gazibara
Tatjana
T
Pekmezovic
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult