BACKGROUND: Fatigue is a major problem in multiple sclerosis (MS), and its association with MRI features is debated. OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation between fatigue and lesion load, white matter (WM), and grey matter (GM), in MS patients independent of disability. METHODS: We studied 222 relapsing remitting MS patients with low disability (scores <or=2 at the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale). Lesion load, WM and GM were measured by fully automated, operator-independent, multi-parametric segmentation method. T1 and T2 lesion volume were also measured by a semi-automated method. Fatigue was assessed by the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and patients divided in high-fatigue (FSS>or=5; n=197) and low-fatigue groups (FSS<or=4; n=25). RESULTS: High-fatigue patients showed significantly higher abnormal white matter fraction (AWM-f), T1 and T2 lesion loads, and significant lower WM-f, and GM-f. Multivariate analysis showed that high FSS was significantly associated with lower WM-f, and GM-f. Females and highly educated patients were significantly less fatigued. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that among MS patients with low disability those with high-fatigue show higher WM and GM atrophy and higher lesion load, and that female sex and higher levels of education may play a protective role towards fatigue. Furthermore, they suggest that in MS, independent of disability, WM and GM atrophy is a risk factor to have fatigue.
BACKGROUND:Fatigue is a major problem in multiple sclerosis (MS), and its association with MRI features is debated. OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation between fatigue and lesion load, white matter (WM), and grey matter (GM), in MSpatients independent of disability. METHODS: We studied 222 relapsing remitting MSpatients with low disability (scores <or=2 at the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale). Lesion load, WM and GM were measured by fully automated, operator-independent, multi-parametric segmentation method. T1 and T2 lesion volume were also measured by a semi-automated method. Fatigue was assessed by the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and patients divided in high-fatigue (FSS>or=5; n=197) and low-fatigue groups (FSS<or=4; n=25). RESULTS:High-fatiguepatients showed significantly higher abnormal white matter fraction (AWM-f), T1 and T2 lesion loads, and significant lower WM-f, and GM-f. Multivariate analysis showed that high FSS was significantly associated with lower WM-f, and GM-f. Females and highly educated patients were significantly less fatigued. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that among MSpatients with low disability those with high-fatigue show higher WM and GM atrophy and higher lesion load, and that female sex and higher levels of education may play a protective role towards fatigue. Furthermore, they suggest that in MS, independent of disability, WM and GM atrophy is a risk factor to have fatigue.
Authors: I Specogna; F Casagrande; A Lorusso; M Catalan; A Gorian; L Zugna; R Longo; M Zorzon; M Naccarato; G Pizzolato; M Ukmar; M A Cova Journal: Radiol Med Date: 2012-06-22 Impact factor: 3.469
Authors: D Dinacci; A Tessitore; A Russo; M L De Bonis; L Lavorgna; O Picconi; R Sacco; S Bonavita; A Gallo; G Servillo; L Marcuccio; M Comerci; P Galletti; B Alfano; G Tedeschi Journal: Neurol Sci Date: 2010-10-16 Impact factor: 3.307
Authors: Robert J Fox; Christopher S Coffey; Merit E Cudkowicz; Trevis Gleason; Andrew Goodman; Eric C Klawiter; Kazuko Matsuda; Michelle McGovern; Robin Conwit; Robert Naismith; Akshata Ashokkumar; Robert Bermel; Dixie Ecklund; Maxine Koepp; Jeffrey Long; Sneha Natarajan; Srividya Ramachandran; Thomai Skaramagas; Brenda Thornell; Jon Yankey; Mark Agius; Khurram Bashir; Bruce Cohen; Patricia Coyle; Silvia Delgado; Dana Dewitt; Angela Flores; Barbara Giesser; Myla Goldman; Burk Jubelt; Neil Lava; Sharon Lynch; Augusto Miravalle; Harold Moses; Daniel Ontaneda; Jai Perumal; Michael Racke; Pavle Repovic; Claire Riley; Christopher Severson; Shlomo Shinnar; Valerie Suski; Bianca Weinstock-Gutman; Vijayshree Yadav; Aram Zabeti Journal: Contemp Clin Trials Date: 2016-08-10 Impact factor: 2.226
Authors: Maxim Bester; Mariana Lazar; Maria Petracca; James S Babb; Joseph Herbert; Robert I Grossman; Matilde Inglese Journal: J Neurol Sci Date: 2013-05-01 Impact factor: 3.181