Evaluation of quality of life in multiple sclerosis patients: impact of fatigue, anxiety and depression

ABSTRACT This study aims to assess the perception of quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and to verify if there is an association with fatigue, anxiety and depression. This is a cross-sectional study with a sample composed by 100 individuals with a diagnosis of MS enrolled in the Centro de Referência para Atenção ao Paciente Portador de Doença Desmielinizante do Hospital da Restauração. The Functional Determination Scale for Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis (DEFU), the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS-BR), and the Hospital Anxiety (HADS-S) and Depression Scale (HADS-D) were applied. Patients with a Primary progressive clinical form presented worse perception of quality of life (66.90±3.47) when compared to the Secondary progressive (71.65±5.92) and Relapse-remitting (79.00±6.62) forms, with Significant difference (p<0.001). There was a strong positive correlation between the DEFU and the MFIS-BR scores (r=0.84), and a strong negative correlation between DEFU and HADS-A (r=−0.85), and DEFU and HADS-D (r=−0.82). The decrease in the perception of quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis is more critical in progressive forms of the disease and is associated with the presence of fatigue, depression and anxiety.