Symptomatic treatment in multiple sclerosis-interim analysis of a nationwide registry.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze symptomatic treatment in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).


BACKGROUND
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, with accumulating disability symptoms like spasticity, voiding disorders, depression, and pain might occur.


METHODS
The nationwide German MS registry was initiated 2001 under guidance of the German MS society (Deutsche MS Gesellschaft). This study was performed as an interim analysis to lay foundation for future work on this topic. A subcohort of 5113 patients was assessed for this interim analysis. The mean age of the patients was 45.3 years; mean EDSS was 4.2. More than two-third of the enrolled patients were females (70.9%).


RESULTS
Most frequent symptoms were fatigue (60%), followed by spasticity (52.5%) and voiding disorders (51.7%). The likelihood of treatment was highest for epileptic disorders (68.8%), spasticity (68.5%), pain (60.7%), and depression (58.9%). Multivariate regression analysis showed that retirement was the strongest factor predictive for antispastic treatment (β=.061, P=.005).


CONCLUSIONS
Almost all patients in this analysis suffer from symptoms due to advanced MS. Treatment for the various symptoms differed tremendously. The likelihood of treatment correlated with the availability of effective therapeutic agents. Clinicians should put more awareness on MS symptoms. Symptomatic treatment may improve quality of life.
Department of Neurology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
S
S
Skierlo
Department of Neurology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.|Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
P S
PS
Rommer
Department of Neurology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
U K
UK
Zettl
D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
demyelinating diseases; disability; multiple sclerosis; spasticity; symptomatic treatment