Predictors of quality of life in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: A 2-year longitudinal study

Knowledge of which factors are determinant of quality of life (QoL) in patients with multiple scleroris (MS) would assist clinicians in choosing the most appropriate interventions. The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of sociodemographic and clinical factors in the predicting QoL in a 2-year cohort of patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RR-MS). The study had a multi-center, multi-regional, and longitudinal design. Main inclusion criteria were: patient with a RR-MS subtype (McDonald criteria) and an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score lower than 7.0. Sociodemographic (age, gender, education level, marital and employment status) and clinical (disability, disease duration, relapse) data were recorded. The QoL was assessed using the MusiQoL (disease-specific) and SF-36 (generic) questionnaires. Each patient was investigated at baseline and 24 months post-inclusion (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00702065). Five hundred and twenty-six patients were enrolled in the present study. The 24-month MusiQoL index score was significantly inversely correlated with the disease duration. Baseline EDSS score impacted in both ‘physical-like’ and ‘psychological-like’ dimensions. At least one relapse during the follow-up period was associated with lower physical scores. Occupational status and marital status were associated with 24-month scores of MusiQoL and SF-36. After adjusting for disability and relapse occurrence, sociodemographics (age, marital status, and occupational status) and baseline QoL scores were also independent QoL predictors in MS patients. Special attention should be given to subgroups to ensure optimal management. Améliorer les connaissances sur les déterminants de la qualité de vie des patients présentant une sclérose en plaques est primordial pour aider les cliniciens dans le choix des prises en charge. L’objectif de cette étude est de documenter le poids de différents paramètres sociodémographiques et cliniques dans la prédiction des niveaux de qualité de vie à deux ans auprès d’une population de sujets présentant une forme rémittente de la maladie. Il s’agit d’une étude longitudinale, observationnelle, associant 32 centres de 12 pays différents (ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT00702065). Les critères d’éligibilité : présenter une sclérose en plaques à partir des critères de McDonald et un score EDSS≤7. La qualité de vie était renseignée à l’aide des questionnaires MusiQoL et SF-36. Le score EDSS et la notion de rechute ont été