title: The impact of adjusted work conditions and disease-modifying drugs on work ability in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disorder that causes significantly reduced ability to work, and the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) is one of the main predictors for reduced work ability.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate how work requirements, flexible work conditions and disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) influence the work ability in relation to different EDSS grades in two MS populations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Work ability was studied in two MS populations: one in the southern and one in the northern part of Sweden, both demographically similar. In the latter population, more active work-promoting interventions have been practised and second-generation DMDs have been widely used from the onset of disease for several years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of MS patients who participated in the workforce or studied was significantly higher in the northern compared with the southern population ( p < 0.001). The employees in the northern population had significantly lower requirements, greater adapted work conditions and were able to work more hours per week. Higher EDSS was associated with lower reduction in number of worked hours per week in the northern population ( p = 0.042).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicated that treatment strategy and adjusted work conditions have impact on work ability in MS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wickström
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation and Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fagerström
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer and Information Science, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wickström
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Granåsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden/Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden/Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dahle
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden/Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden/Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vrethem
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sundström
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013548:Sweden; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014937:Work; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents
keywords: Multiple sclerosis; Work Ability Questionnaire – Multiple Sclerosis; adjusted work conditions; disease-modifying drugs; work requirements; working ability