This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Nortvedt, M W Articles by Hanestad, B R Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Nortvedt, M W Articles by Hanestad, B R Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Type I interferons and the quality of life of multiple sclerosis patients. Results from a clinical trial on interferon alfa-2a

Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Ulriksdal 8C, N-5009 Bergen, Norway

T Riise

Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Ulriksdal 8C, N-5009 Bergen, Norway

K M Myhr

Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

H I Nyland

Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

B R Hanestad

Bergen College, Bergen, Norway

The objective of the study was to examine whether the beneficial effect of treatment of interferon alfa-2a on multiple sclerosis seen by magnetic resonance imaging is reflected in a corresponding improvement in the quality of life (QoL) and to address the impact of adverse events related to this treatment on the QoL. The study was a randomised double-blinded placebo-controlled treatment trial including 97 relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients. Thirty-two patients received 4.5 MIU recombinant interferon alfa-2a, 32 patients received 9.0 MIU recombinant interferon alfa- 2a and 33 patients received placebo treatment for 6 months. All patients were followed up 6 months after end of treatment. QoL was assessed according to the eight scales of the SF-36 Health Survey and measured at baseline, month 3, 6 and 12. The effect found on MRI was not reflected in a corresponding change in the QoL. We found a relationship between the presence of new enhancing lesions and reduced QoL among the placebo patients, whereas this was not found among the patients treated with interferon. The presence of the adverse events fatigue, myalgia, headache and weakness were significantly negatively correlated to several of the QoL dimensions. Conclusively, the treatment with interferon alfa- 2a does not seem to improve the patients' QoL after 6 months of treatment, in spite of a marked effect measured by MRI. The treatment is followed by adverse events that negatively affected the QoL.

Key Words: multiple sclerosis • quality of life • SF-36 Health Survey • clinical trial • type I interferons

Multiple Sclerosis, Vol. 5, No. 5, 317-322 (1999)
DOI: 10.1177/135245859900500503


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N Tellez, J Rio, M Tintore, C Nos, I Galan, and X Montalban Does the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale offer a more comprehensive assessment of fatigue in MS? Multiple Sclerosis, April 1, 2005; 11(2): 198 - 202. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A-K Isaksson, G Ahlstrom, and L-G Gunnarsson Quality of life and impairment in patients with multiple sclerosis J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, January 1, 2005; 76(1): 64 - 69. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. J. Pittock, W. T. Mayr, R. L. McClelland, N. W. Jorgensen, S. D. Weigand, J. H. Noseworthy, and M. Rodriguez Quality of Life Is Favorable for Most Patients With Multiple Sclerosis: A Population-based Cohort Study Arch Neurol, May 1, 2004; 61(5): 679 - 686. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J Greenhalgh, H Ford, A F Long, and K Hurst The MS Symptom and Impact Diary (MSSID): psychometric evaluation of a new instrument to measure the day to day impact of multiple sclerosis J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, April 1, 2004; 75(4): 577 - 582. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J M Morales-Gonzales, J Benito-Leon, J Rivera-Navarro, A J Mitchell, and GEDMA Study Group A systematic approach to analyse health-related quality of life in multiple sclerosis: the GEDMA study Multiple Sclerosis, February 1, 2004; 10(1): 47 - 54. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M W Nortvedt and T Riise The use of quality of life measures in multiple sclerosis research Multiple Sclerosis, February 1, 2003; 9(1): 63 - 72. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D M Miller Health-related quality of life Multiple Sclerosis, August 1, 2002; 8(4): 269 - 270. [PDF]

				J. A. Freeman, A. J. Thompson, R. Fitzpatrick, M. Hutchinson, C. Miltenburger, K. Beckmann, F. Dahlke, L. Kappos, C. Polman, and C. Pozzilli Interferon-{beta}1b in the treatment of secondary progressive MS: Impact on quality of life Neurology, November 27, 2001; 57(10): 1870 - 1875. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M P Amato, G Ponziani, F Rossi, C L Liedl, C Stefanile, and L Rossi Quality of life in multiple sclerosis: the impact of depression, fatigue and disability Multiple Sclerosis, October 1, 2001; 7(5): 340 - 344. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M W Nortvedt, T Riise, K-M Myhr, A-M Landtblom, A Bakke, and H I Nyland Reduced quality of life among multiple sclerosis patients with sexual disturbance and bladder dysfunction Multiple Sclerosis, August 1, 2001; 7(4): 231 - 235. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. W. Nortvedt, T. Riise, K.-M. Myhr, and H. I. Nyland Quality of life as a predictor for change in disability in MS Neurology, July 12, 2000; 55(1): 51 - 54. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]