Relationship between symptoms of depression and anxiety and the quality of life in multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND: Health-related Quality of Life (QoL) is gaining increasing influence as a relevant evaluation criterium in clinical research. Several studies have investigated QoL in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) and the impact of therapeutic interventions on QoL. However, the influence of psychiatric complications, which occur frequently in MS (e.g. depression and anxiety disorders), on the autoassessment of QoL are hardly ever considered. METHODS: Symptoms of depression and anxiety were rated in 74 outpatients with definite MS. The health-related QoL was assessed and set into relation to physical disability (measured with the Expanded Disability Status Scale) and duration of the disease. The results were compared with 74 normal controls of the same age. RESULTS: A highly significant relationship between emotional state (Zerssen-scale), depression (Zung-depression-scale), anxiety (Zung anxiety scale) and Quality of Life was evident. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical trials assessing Quality of Life in MS patients should consider the frequency of psychiatric comorbidity and the influence of depression and anxiety disorders on self-rated Quality of Life.