Disability as a determinant of fatigue in MS patients

Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2019 May 13;77(4):248-253. doi: 10.1590/0004-282X20190035.

Abstract

Introduction: Fatigue is one of the most frequent and disabling symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS). Central, psychological, and peripheral factors may contribute to the occurrence of fatigue.

Objectives: The current study aimed to evaluate potential fatigue determinants in patients with relapsing-remitting MS with a low functional impairment.

Methods: We compared inflammatory markers, respiratory pressures, disability, and quality of life in 39 relapsing-remitting MS patients with and without fatigue.

Results: Patients with relapsing-remitting MS with fatigue had higher Expanded Disability Status Scale scores (p = 0.002). We observed a significant association between the results of the Guy Neurological Disability Scale, the Functional Assessment of MS Quality of Life Rating Scale and the presence of fatigue (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: The degree of functional impairment is a determinant for the presence of fatigue in MS patients, but respiratory function and inflammatory markers are not.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Disability Evaluation
  • Fatigue / complications*
  • Fatigue / physiopathology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-6 / blood
  • Male
  • Maximal Respiratory Pressures
  • Middle Aged
  • Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / complications*
  • Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / physiopathology*
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Muscle Fatigue / physiology*
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Quality of Life
  • Respiration
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / blood
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Interleukin-6
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha