quality of life

People living with multiple sclerosis (MS) have consistently lower quality of life than the general population — regardless of age or gender, a new study shows. The scientists also identified several factors that are significantly associated with worse quality of life in MS. These included disease symptoms such as…

Disability progression independent of relapse activity, or PIRA, in the earliest stages of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is associated with worsening quality of life, a study in Sweden shows. PIRA is a form of sustained disability worsening that occurs in the absence of multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses. While…

Being diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis doesn’t necessarily mean that other health complications or conditions won’t arise. According to an article published in the journal Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have significantly higher rates of comorbidity and morbidity than people who don’t have…

Getting physical exercise can improve subjective well-being and health-related quality of life for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new meta-analysis shows. “Exercise interventions, especially aerobic or combined aerobic and resistance training, should be implemented in clinical practice to promote mental health” and health-related quality of life in people…

A commercial probiotic supplement containing the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii significantly eased pain and fatigue, and improved mental health and quality of life, in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to data from a clinical trial in Iran. The probiotic, BioDigest, also reduced inflammation and oxidative stress, a form…

In children with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS), poor sleep quality is linked to fatigue, depression, and worse quality of life, a study has found. While no significant differences in sleep measures were identified between children and adolescents with MS compared with those without the neurodegenerative condition, sleep can have…

A patient’s ability to cope with and recover from adversity — called psychological resilience — was found to impact the observed relationship between fear of relapse and life quality among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in a new study. Essentially, MS patients who had…

Disability progression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) significantly reduces their quality of life, affects their ability to work, and represents a major socioeconomic cost, according to real-world data collected from a German MS registry. These results suggest that the use of disease-modifying therapies to slow MS progression…

A web-based wellness intervention program that educated multiple sclerosis (MS) patients on dietary plans, stress management, sleep, and exercise recommendations significantly improved their fatigue and quality of life, according to data from a clinical study. The study, “Evaluation of a web-based program for the adoption of wellness behaviors…

Primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) can greatly reduce quality of life for patients and affect their ability to work, according to real-world data collected from a German MS registry. These results “confirm the steadily deteriorating course of PPMS accompanied by increasingly limited quality of life,” researchers wrote. The study,…

Engaging in physical activity may improve the quality of life for people newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a link that remained even after accounting for other factors such as fatigue and disability status, a study shows.

Treatment with the experimental oral therapy ibudilast (MN-166) does not significantly improve quality-of-life measures compared with a placebo among people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new data from a Phase 2 clinical trial. Analyses from the trial suggest that a marker of nerve damage…

Noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) may be able to reduce fatigue, spasticity, and pain, and improve quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new meta-analysis reports. The review assessed several NIBS interventions targeting different brain regions. The results suggest that these techniques can have immediate effects…

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (aHSCT) — commonly called stem cell therapy — lessens fatigue and improves quality of life in people with highly active relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a small study in Lithuania. These gains in the physical and social domains of quality of life…

Aquatic exercise therapy can help to ease fatigue and improve balance in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), without notable side effects, according to a review of published studies. These findings have important implications for MS patients, as fatigue is among the main symptoms of the disease and…

Fatigue is a common symptom among people living with multiple sclerosis (MS), and has a significant negative impact on physical and psychological function, as well as quality of life, a U.K. study reported. Citing the study as the “largest study on fatigue in MS from U.K.,”  researchers emphasized that…

Ublituximab, an investigational antibody-based treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), was efficacious across most patient subgroups, and led to marked improvements in disability and quality of life over nearly two years. This is according to new exploratory analyses from the identical Phase 3 ULTIMATE I and II trials, which evaluated…

A five-week, high-intensity video game-based exercise program called exergaming outperformed other forms of exercise at easing symptoms and improving life quality in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a small trial found. While all exercise programs slowed symptom worsening over two subsequent years of lower-intensity exercises, exergaming led to the…

Eating a ketogenic diet — one low in carbohydrates and high in fats — led to markedly less fatigue and depression for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in a small clinical trial that was designed to assess the tolerability of the dietary intervention. Measures of disability and quality…

Eight weeks of an online mindfulness program significantly lowered levels of depression and improved quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers in Australia report. “This study adds to growing evidence on how wellness strategies can help people with MS to reduce symptoms and enable fuller participation…

The psychological distress of a parent whose child is found to have multiple sclerosis (MS) may directly impact the quality of life of the child. That’s according to a new study that revealed a worse health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in MS children after their diagnosis. These findings support…

The MS Society of the U.K. intends to raise over £1.1 million (about $1.5 million) to support nine multiple sclerosis (MS) research projects, marking the return of the grants program it put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding will support research in the…

A Kessler Foundation scientist has been awarded nearly $600,000 to support the development and testing of a behavioral therapy intervention aiming to improve quality of life for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). An upcoming clinical trial into the intervention (NCT05195320), expected to begin…

Differences in the physical architecture of the brain may explain why some people with multiple sclerosis (MS), but not others, experience a placebo effect, according to a new study. The results suggest that MS itself may make some individuals unable to experience the benefits of a placebo. “Our findings…

Vitamin D supplementation may improve quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a literature review study. Because vitamin D deficiency is common in MS patients, these findings suggest that “supplementation should be applied at least in a dose that covers the recommended intake,” the researchers…

Owning a dog, cat or other household pet during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has helped multiple sclerosis (MS) patients gain a better overall sense of their health and well-being, a single-site survey by mail of people in the U.K. reported. But pet-owning patients reported no significant improvements in their…

Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection) was found to be a cost-effective treatment for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) experiencing a relapse, according to an economic analysis. Notably, the economic value of Acthar Gel was greater than that of alternative treatments — plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulin — from the…

Editor’s note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the virtual 37th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Oct. 13–15. Go here to see the latest stories from the conference. Mavenclad…

A six-week program, called vibration training — in which people stand on a vibrating platform for short periods of time — eased disability and improved cognitive abilities and quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a small randomized study found. The program was also well accepted and…

More than one-third of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who responded to an online U.S.-based survey are dissatisfied with their quality of life, and more than one in four MS patients are pessimistic about their future, according to the results of the survey, conducted by Multiple Sclerosis News…