title: Anxiety in patients with multiple sclerosis: association with disability, depression, disease type and sex.
abstract: The aim of the current study was to evaluate anxiety in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and factors which are associated with this symptom. Eighty totals of 180 patients with MS were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. They were asked to answer the valid and reliable Persian version of the Beck depression inventory (BDI) and Beck anxiety inventory (BAI) questionnaires. Demographic characteristics (sex and age), duration of the disease, disease course and Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) were recorded for all participants. Mean BDI was 17.5 ± 11.4 in patients while mean BAI was17.7 ± 12.5 in all participants, respectively. Mean BDI and BAI were not statistically different between male and female participants. Patients with higher levels of disability (higher EDSS) had significant higher BDI and BAI scores and there was significant positive correlation between EDSS and BDI and BAI scores (rho=0.42, P<0.001, rho=0.35, P<0.001). Patients with SP (Secondary progressive) type of disease had significant higher BDI and BAI score. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that depression and disability level were independent predictors of anxiety in patients. Anxiety and factors which are related with this symptom should be considered in MS patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Khorasan-e-Razavi, Iran. faribaaskari10@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Askari
authors.affiliation: Brain and Spinal Injury Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. m.ghajarzadeh@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mahsa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghajarzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran. mahsa.owji@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohammadifar
authors.affiliation: Brain and Spinal Injury Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. mahsa.owji@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Amirreza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, MS Research Center, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. mahsa.owji@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sahraian
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, MS Research Center, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. mahsa.owji@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mahsa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Owji
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000523:psychology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult