[Quality of life in multiple sclerosis and pharmaco-economic studies]

Early disability and its rapid progression emphasize the medico-social importance of MS. The widely used disease-modifying treatments allowed to delay the time of severe disability, but this way of treatment is very expensive. The cost of MS is discussed based on literature data. The level of the cost of MS greatly depends on the disease severity and activity. Thus the studies of quality of life (QL) and pharmacoeconomical analysis, besides neurological scales, can give important additional information for clinical trials. First such studies in Europe in patients with secondary progressive MS showed a delay in progression of QL indexes in patients under Betaferon treatment in comparison to placebo. We studied changes in MOS SF-36 and WHO QL scales in groups of 60 MS patients, receiving Rebif or Copaxone. After 3 months of Rebif significant positive changes in scales, reflecting physical and social activity of MS patients, were found. At the same time negative changes in the "Pain" scale might reflect the presence of local side effects of beta-interferons treatment. No statistically significant changes in QL indexes under treatment with Copaxone were seen. The results of QL testing were associated with data of neuropsychological tests, characterizing chronic fatigue and depression. Thus the measurement of QL indexes may be a source of significant additional information, estimating the effecis of treatment and is the basic for pharmacoeconomical analysis.