quality of life

Actively taking steps to cope with the chronic stress of multiple sclerosis (MS) — from keeping a sense of humor to seeking emotional and tangible support — can help to improve patients’ quality of life, a small questionnaire-based study from Poland suggests. The study, “The Role of…

A home-based rehabilitation program can help ease fatigue, improve motor and cognitive function, and promote better quality of life in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a small clinical trial has found. While a structured supervised exercise program was better at improving fatigue and health-related quality of life, the…

Impaired social cognition — lacking the ability to understand and process others’ emotions — may affect how people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) feel on a day-to-day basis, a small, three-year study has found. RRMS patients with such difficulties were “characterized at follow-up by a higher level of depression…

Vumerity (diroximel fumarate) is easier on the gastrointestinal tract than Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate), and this translates into better quality of life for patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a new analysis of EVOLVE-MS-2 trial data has found. The study, “Improved gastrointestinal profile with diroximel fumarate is…

A healthy diet led to better physical and mental quality of life in Dutch adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), especially women, a large survey study found. Substantial amounts of vegetables, fruits, fiber, and healthy fats were associated with better overall…

Levels of neurofilament light (NfL), a protein marker of neuronal damage, appear to capture some aspects of patient‐perceived physical and functional abilities with multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as their utilization of select healthcare services, a real-world study suggests. Its researchers, however, stress that more work is needed before NfL levels…

Sexual dysfunction affects more than 60% of adult men with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a review study. The data add to previous findings showing that more than two-thirds of women with MS also experience these problems, highlighting the importance of detecting and managing sexual dysfunction in…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to mentally overestimate the time required to complete a short walking activity, causing cognitive fatigue that may affect their quality of life, a study reports. The connection between cognitive fatigue and imagined motor exercises may offer a potential…

Adults with mild to moderate multiple sclerosis (MS) are being urged to participate in a new clinical trial — STEP for MS — that will assess the impact of two different exercise programs on patients’ mobility, walking abilities, and quality of life. Funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research…

Review Study Examines Factors That Affect MS Patients’ Quality of Life What affects the qualify of your life as someone who lives with MS? Fatigue is at the top of my list, followed by difficulty walking. Now, COVID-19 plus gray, winter weather have added a bit of depression. So,…

Disability, fatigue, depression, cognitive impairment, and unemployment are primary risk factors for a poor quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent review study. Conversely, higher self-esteem, self-efficacy, resilience, and social support were identified as protective factors for quality of life (QoL).

Adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological disorders are being recruited to take part in a 12-week clinical trial that aims to assess the health benefits of home-based tele-exercise — performed while seated — led by the Burke Neurological Institute, in New York, according to an…

I have been living in the land of Netflix. It went from a place I would visit from time to time to a home away from home. In between life’s moments, I find myself teleported to the land of escape. I become lost amid the complexity of characters and the…

Low blood levels of ferritin — the main form of iron stored in cells — are significantly associated with more severe depressive symptoms and poorer quality of life in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, a small study from Poland reports. Data showed no link between the levels of other measures of…

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) report moderate scores in mental and physical health, as measured by three, well-established quality-of-life scales, according to an analysis of published literature. The study, “Global, regional and national quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis: a global systematic review and…

While the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on the psychological well-being of people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), it led to minimal changes in depression, anxiety, and quality of life, according to data from an international survey. This was true even for the 4% of patients who reported…

Donepezil — an approved treatment for Alzheimer’s disease — eased cognitive impairment, depression, and improved other quality-of-life measures in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with mild to moderate disability, according to results of a single-site clinical trial. The study, “Effect of Donepezil on Cognitive Impairment, Quality of Life, and Depression…

Sexual dysfunction is prevalent among women with multiple sclerosis (MS), and one way physicians can help improve their patients’ quality of life is to ask them about the problem. That finding is detailed in the study “Sexual dysfunction in women with multiple sclerosis: prevalence and impact on…

Flowonix’s Prometra II Pump System Receives FDA Approval for Use with Intrathecal Baclofen This new pump could be a major step forward for people with multiple sclerosis who use a pump to deliver baclofen directly into their spinal column. It uses a pressure-driven system rather than a motor-driven one,…

Urinary incontinence,  associated with poor functioning of the muscles in the pelvic area, was found to have a negative impact on daily activities like walking and overall quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study shows. Adding pelvic floor muscle training to an MS…

Age, gender, disease subtype, degree of disability, and more factors affect lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Also, the epidemiology of LUTS must be better understood and promptly detected and treated to improve patients’ quality of life. Those findings are detailed in a new study, “…

I read a sad tweet last night (though, in a way, aren’t all of them somewhat sad?) in which a woman told a story about her friend who had just broken up with her boyfriend of one year. She asked her friend how she was holding up. The reply was…

Learning a second language can bolster the health-related quality of life and mental well-being of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) by working to expand areas of the brain involved in language and damaged by MS, especially in early disease stages, a study suggests. These findings were reported in the…

Trials testing new immunotherapies for multiple sclerosis (MS) should focus more on patients’ experiences and on symptoms relevant for them such as fatigue, depression, and cognitive difficulties, a German working group recommends. According to the team, which is working on developing new standards for planning MS trials, clinical…

Employed individuals with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) have lower work productivity, reduced health-related quality of life, and use more healthcare resources than individuals who do not have multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study shows. The study, “Burden of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis on workers in the US: a cross-sectional…

A twice-daily dosing schedule and side effects like nausea and flushing are key reasons why more than 10% of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients followed for a year stopped using Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) as prescribed, a single-site study reports. Adherence to treatment is key to patients’ health, and doctors should not…

Persistent fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with damage in specific areas of the brain, regardless of depression symptoms, a study shows. The study, “Microstructural fronto-striatal and temporo-insular alterations are associated with fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis independent of white…

People whose advanced progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) limits their mobility can strengthen their lower limbs and improve life quality by engaging in regular standing exercises in their homes, a U.K. study into physiotherapy programs for this patient group reports. The study, “Assessment…

Patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who switched to infusions with Sanofi Genzyme’s Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) report increased satisfaction with treatment and improvements in health-related quality of life, according to…

Retrospective comparison between children with multiple sclerosis (MS) and those with related acute demyelinating syndromes (ADS) highlights the implications of fatigue, depression, and quality of life in these patients. Those are the findings from a study, “Fatigue, depression, and quality of life in children with multiple sclerosis: a…