[Communication of the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis: the patient's opinion]

How the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) is communicated to a patient is related with the patient's emotional response and the quality of the doctor- patient relationship. Our study aims: a) to evaluate the patient's satisfaction with the communication of the diagnosis according to the clinical forms, psychic dysfunction, neurological dysfunction and years of evolution, and b) to evaluate how the information was provided and the amount provided at the time of the diagnosis.

We studied patients with MS without cognitive impairment. A questionnaire was developed to evaluate how the diagnosis was communicated, content of the information provided and the patient's opinion. The scores obtained were considered in their relationship to illness duration, clinical forms, neurological dysfunction (EDSS), psychic alteration.

A total of 86 out of 114 patients answered the questionnaire. Mean age of participants was 37.97 +/- 13.13 years, 60.5 % being women. Mean years of MS evolution were 11 +/- 7, 61.6 % being remittent-relapsing MS. Limited deambulation (EDSS >5) was present in 44%. Psychic alteration was present in 21%. Communication of the diagnosis was evaluated as good by 65.1%. A total of 71% would prefer the communication of the diagnosis to be made just after the appearance of the first symptoms and 60% would prefer to receive the information staggered. Patients with <10 years of evolution, with relapsingremitting forms, with EDSS <5 and without psychic dysfunction, judged the information as satisfactory (p<0.001). Patients who received information about types of MS, related symptoms, likelihood disability and treatment gave a better evaluation to the information (p=0.0001).

Most of patients are satisfied with the communication of diagnosis. This satisfaction depends on the neurological impairment, psychic alteration and years of illness evolution. Patients who received more information evaluated the communication of diagnosis better.