Quality of life as a measure of rehabilitation outcome in patients with multiple sclerosis

A total of 43 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) consecutively admitted to the Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation Hospital in Haslev completed a Danish version of the Laman & Lankhorst Questionnaire (LLQ) on quality of life (qol), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Twenty-one of the 43 pts completed the questionnaires at discharge as well. All patients received the standard multidiciplinary rehabilitative treatment. The purpose was to evaluate the LLQ as a measure of qol and as an outcome measure. The 43 MS-patients had low weighted qol scores on the following items: readily tired, fatigue, dependence on other people, worry about deterioration and walk. Correspondingly, the BDI showed high scores on fatigability, work difficulty and somatic preoccupation. The correlation between LLQ and BDI was statistically significant (0.54, p<0002), but weak. ANOVA with repeated measures (LLQ and BDI at admission and discharge) was applied to evaluate rehabilitation outcome in 21 patients. LLQ: The patients experienced a significant reduction in disability on fatigue and mood; and in the importance of being able to climb stairs and to work. The weighted qol-scores increased significantly on physical endurance, work and mood. BDI scores showed a significant decrease on pessimism, irritability, loss of libido and total BDI-score. The changes measured by the LLQ were mainly on behavioral aspects. As the correlation coefficient was only 0.54, the LLQ and the BDI seem to address different aspects of quality of life.