Prevalence and severity of multiple-sclerosis-associated fatigue in treated and untreated patients

Publication

Prevalence and severity of multiple-sclerosis-associated fatigue in treated and untreated patients

Journal Paper/Review - Jan 1, 2008

Putzki Norman, Katsarava Zaza, Vago Susanne, Diener H C, Limmroth Volker

Citation

Putzki N, Katsarava Z, Vago S, Diener H, Limmroth V. Prevalence and severity of multiple-sclerosis-associated fatigue in treated and untreated patients. European neurology 2008; 59:136-42.

Type

Journal Paper/Review (English)

Journal

European neurology 2008; 59

Publication Date

Jan 1, 2008

Issn Electronic

1421-9913

Pages

136-42

Brief description/objective

Fatigue is one of the most frequent and most disabling symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS). We investigated the possible association of the MS-related fatigue syndrome with the available disease-modifying therapies and the main disease characteristics in a cross-sectional study on 320 consecutive patients. The prevalence of severe fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale score > or =5) was 50%. In a multivariate regression model controlling for age, disease subtype, duration and disability we did not find a significant association between the use of immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory drugs compared to no treatment (OR = 1.34, p = 0.38 for immunosuppressants; OR = 0.95, p = 0.85 for immune-modulating agents). Although all used disease-modifying agents successfully reduce disease activity and inflammation, they do not appear to exhibit a significant effect on MS-related fatigue.