Quality of Life According to Duration of Disease in Women With Low Disability in Multiple Sclerosis

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores and quality of life (QOL) in women with multiple sclerosis (MS) and low disability and whether duration of disease influenced the established relationship. Sixty-six women diagnosed with MS (44.0 ± 1.2 [standard error] years) had EDSS scores of <5.0 as determined by their neurologist. Duration of disease from time of diagnosis ranged from 2 months to 28 years, and subjects were arbitrarily divided into three groups (group 1: 0.1–10.0 years; group 2: 10.1–20.0 years; group 3: 20.1–33.0 years). After giving informed consent, all subjects completed the MS Quality of Life-54 questionnaire (MSQOL-54). Mean EDSS was 1.4 for group 1, 2.0 for group 2, and 2.1 for group 3. Group 3 had the highest score for both the physical and mental components of MSQOL-54. In general, the relationship between the functional systems (FS) of EDSS and subcomponents of MSQOL-54 were negative and low to moderate in strength (r = −0.25 to −0.61; P < .01 or < .05), with cerebral FS having the most significant relationship with QOL variables. When duration of disease was considered, sensory FS was the only one that showed a significant difference between groups 1 and 2. In women with low disability caused by MS, the longer the duration of disease, the better the QOL, as reported by MSQOL-54.