OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term emotional state of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated with interferon beta (IFNbeta) for at least four years. METHODS: Patients who had started IFNbeta therapy prior to 2000 with a baseline psychological assessment were identified and scheduled for long-term emotional assessment with the following questionnaires--the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. RESULTS: A total of 262 patients started IFNbeta therapy in our MS clinic within the period 1995-1999. Baseline emotional assessment was available from 246 MS patients. Long-term assessment was conducted on 234 patients. After a mean follow-up of 65 months (43-98), 52 patients (22.3%) had withdrawn from IFNbeta therapy. The comparisons, obtained from baseline and follow-up scores, showed an improvement in the depressive and anxiety symptoms of patients who adhered to IFNbeta treatment. Logistic regression analysis indicated that an increase in physical disability and the presence of depressive symptoms at baseline were best predictors for long-term depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The present results support the absence of emotional worsening in MS patients treated with IFNbeta for a long period of time. Increased disability and the presence of baseline depressive symptoms predicted the presence of depressive symptoms at follow-up.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term emotional state of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated with interferon beta (IFNbeta) for at least four years. METHODS:Patients who had started IFNbeta therapy prior to 2000 with a baseline psychological assessment were identified and scheduled for long-term emotional assessment with the following questionnaires--the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. RESULTS: A total of 262 patients started IFNbeta therapy in our MS clinic within the period 1995-1999. Baseline emotional assessment was available from 246 MSpatients. Long-term assessment was conducted on 234 patients. After a mean follow-up of 65 months (43-98), 52 patients (22.3%) had withdrawn from IFNbeta therapy. The comparisons, obtained from baseline and follow-up scores, showed an improvement in the depressive and anxiety symptoms of patients who adhered to IFNbeta treatment. Logistic regression analysis indicated that an increase in physical disability and the presence of depressive symptoms at baseline were best predictors for long-term depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The present results support the absence of emotional worsening in MSpatients treated with IFNbeta for a long period of time. Increased disability and the presence of baseline depressive symptoms predicted the presence of depressive symptoms at follow-up.
Authors: Christopher M Celano; Oliver Freudenreich; Carlos Fernandez-Robles; Theodore A Stern; Mario A Caro; Jeff C Huffman Journal: Dialogues Clin Neurosci Date: 2011 Impact factor: 5.986
Authors: Ruth Ann Marrie; Stephen Reingold; Jeffrey Cohen; Olaf Stuve; Maria Trojano; Per Soelberg Sorensen; Gary Cutter; Nadia Reider Journal: Mult Scler Date: 2015-01-12 Impact factor: 6.312
Authors: Ruth Ann Marrie; Jeffrey Cohen; Olaf Stuve; Maria Trojano; Per Soelberg Sørensen; Stephen Reingold; Gary Cutter; Nadia Reider Journal: Mult Scler Date: 2015-01-26 Impact factor: 6.312