Interactions between fatigue and urinary quality of life in patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Vasileios Giannopapas; Dimitrios K Kitsos; Athanasia Panopoulou; Zarifoula Mitsi; Konstantina Stavrogianni; Athanasios K Chasiotis; Marinela K Gkika; Stavroula Salakou; Georgios Tsivgoulis; Daphne Bakalidou; Sotirios Giannopoulos

doi:10.1016/j.jocn.2024.01.008

Interactions between fatigue and urinary quality of life in patients with Multiple Sclerosis

J Clin Neurosci. 2024 Feb:120:87-91. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2024.01.008. Epub 2024 Jan 17.

Affiliations

¹ Second Department of Neurology, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Department of Physical Therapy, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece; Laboratory of Neuromuscular and Cardiovascular Study of Motion, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: bgiannopapas@gmail.com.
² Second Department of Neurology, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
³ Department of Physical Therapy, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece.
⁴ Second Department of Neurology, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
⁵ Second Department of Neurology, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Department of Physical Therapy, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece; Laboratory of Neuromuscular and Cardiovascular Study of Motion, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece.
⁶ Department of Physical Therapy, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece; Laboratory of Neuromuscular and Cardiovascular Study of Motion, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece.

PMID: 38237491
DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2024.01.008

Abstract

Introduction: Neurogenic bladder as well as fatigue related symptoms are common in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and have a significant impact on the patients' Quality of Life (QoL). The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between fatigue related symptomatology (FRS) and Urinary Quality of Life (UQoL).

Methods: A total of 120 consecutive MS patients were recruited from the Outpatient Clinic of Demyelinating Diseases (Second Dept. of Neurology, Attikon University Hospital Greece). Participants were then asked to complete the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) and the Short Form Qualiveen questionnaire. Demographic and bladder function related characteristics (incontinence, urinary frequency, use of intermittent catheterization) were collected.

Results: The physical and cognitive dimensions of MFIS had a moderate to high correlation with SF Qualiveen (r = 0.403, p <.000), (r = 0.329, p <.000).Multiple linear regression produced a fitted model (R² = 0.150, F(3,111) = 5.554, p =.001) in IC use (β = 1.086, p =.036) and the physical dimension of MFIS (β = 0.66, p =.046) significantly predicted the SF Qualiveen score.

Conclusion: UQoL had a moderate correlation with both physical and cognitive dimensions of fatigue. Patients with MS who experience lower levels of physical fatigue and/or manage their neurogenic bladder symptomatology (mainly with the use of intermittent catheterization) appear to have higher levels of UQoL. Due to the versatile and subjective nature of both fatigue related and neurogenic bladder symptoms, more focused studies utilizing objective evaluation tools (e.g urodynamic urine bladder study) are necessary.

Keywords: Fatigue; Multiple sclerosis; Neurogenic bladder.

MeSH terms

Fatigue / etiology
Humans
Multiple Sclerosis* / complications
Physical Examination
Quality of Life
Surveys and Questionnaires
Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic* / etiology