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A Method of Trigonometric Modelling of Seasonal Variation Demonstrated with Multiple Sclerosis Relapse Data
Published on: December 9, 2015
Fear of relapse in patients suffering from RRMS influence their quality of life
Ali Khatibi1, Tracey J Weiland2, Mohsen Dehghani3
1Centre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain, School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Abstract:
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, potentially debilitating disease that affects millions of patients worldwide. About 85% of patients experience a disease subtype characterised by relapses and remittance (RRMS). While many studies have investigated factors influencing patients'' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in RRMS, none have taken patients' fear of relapses into account. In this study, we measured the patients' self-reported HRQoL, fear of relapse (FoR), health anxiety (HA), number of relapses, duration of disease, type of medication and perceived level of side effects. Treating neurologists provided an estimate of patients' disease severity. All covariates and demographic (personal and disease-related) characteristics were included in regression modelling of their association with HRQoL. The model showed that HRQoL was most strongly associated with disease severity estimated by neurologists, which was highly correlated with the number of relapses and disease duration. However, upon adjustment for FoR (in the presence of all covariates), this association between disease severity and HRQoL attenuated, and FoR remained the only covariate significantly associated with HRQoL. Notably, our modelling also revealed a significant association between HA and FoR in RRMS patients. This study's findings have important implications for the management of MS in RRMS patients and point to the critical roles of FoR and HA as drivers of HRQoL in RRMS. Given the importance of HRQoL to the patient experience and economically, we argue that a more nuanced understanding is needed of the subjective nature of quality of life and its determinants. Interventions aimed at reducing psychological distress and anxiety should be explored.
Insights
Fear of relapse significantly impacts health-related quality of life in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). Addressing psychological distress and anxiety is crucial for improving patient well-being.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Psychology
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological condition affecting millions globally.
- Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) is the most common subtype, characterized by unpredictable relapses.
- Existing research on RRMS health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has overlooked the impact of fear of relapse (FoR).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between fear of relapse (FoR) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in RRMS patients.
- To identify key determinants of HRQoL in RRMS, considering clinical and psychological factors.
- To explore the relationship between health anxiety (HA) and FoR in this patient population.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study measuring self-reported HRQoL, FoR, and HA in RRMS patients.
- Data collection included clinical variables: number of relapses, disease duration, medication, side effects, and neurologist-assessed disease severity.
- Regression modeling was used to analyze associations between HRQoL and various covariates.
Main Results:
- Neurologist-assessed disease severity, number of relapses, and disease duration were initially correlated with lower HRQoL.
- Upon adjustment for FoR, the association between disease severity and HRQoL attenuated significantly.
- FoR emerged as the sole significant covariate associated with HRQoL, independent of clinical factors.
- A significant association was found between health anxiety (HA) and FoR in RRMS patients.
Conclusions:
- Fear of relapse is a primary driver of reduced health-related quality of life in RRMS patients.
- Health anxiety is closely linked to fear of relapse, suggesting a psychological component influencing patient well-being.
- Interventions targeting psychological distress and anxiety are warranted to improve HRQoL in RRMS management.
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