Differences in physical, mental, and social functions between males and females in multiple sclerosis: A multicenter cross-sectional study in China

Abstract

Background Sex-specific differences in multiple sclerosis (MS) have been recognized, but few were known about how sex influences the characteristics of MS in Asian and the social burden of MS. This study aimed to investigate the symptoms, mental health, and social functions of Chinese MS patients and find differences between sexes. Methods MS patients were enrolled from January 2004 to September 2018. A questionnaire was distributed by 47 medical centers. Patients' physical symptoms, negative emotions, interpersonal communication, social intercourse, employment condition, and suicidal thoughts and behavior were collected. Patients were asked to fill in the questionnaire independently and undergo Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) measurement. Unpaired t-tests between sexes were conducted for normally distributed continuous variables. Mann-Whitney u-tests were conducted for non-normally distributed data. Chi-square tests, Fisher exact tests and rank sum tests were performed for categorical variables. Results 931 patients were enrolled and 631 were female. Frequency of fatigue and pain were higher in female MS patients (P<0.05), while male patients complained more weakness, diplopia, sexual dysfunction, and micturition and defecation dysfunction (P<0.05). Females were more likely to experience sadness and helplessness than males (P<0.05) while males were more likely to experience nonacceptance than females (P<0.05). MS had a worse influence on male patients in relationships with family and friends (P<0.05). The employment rate of MS patients was 39.31%. The frequency of suicidal attempt was 2.36%, which was higher than general population. Conclusions The study provided evidence that characteristics of MS were different between males and females, and influence in mental and social function was a common problem among MS patients. More attention should be paid to the mental health and social function of MS patients.

Keywords: Chinese population; Mental health; Multiple sclerosis; Sex difference; Suicidal tendency.