Abstract
Purpose
Vascular comorbidities are prevalent and can contribute to adverse health outcomes in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Understanding the association between vascular comorbidities and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among PwMS may be beneficial in improving outcomes and disease management. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the relationship between vascular comorbidities and the different dimensions of HRQOL in PwMS.
Methods
Participants (n = 185) were PwMS recruited from a community-based comprehensive MS care center. Demographics, comorbid conditions, and disability level were collected via a self-report REDCap survey, with the 29-item Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life (MSQOL-29) as the outcome measure. Regression models were used to examine the association between vascular comorbidities and the MSQOL-29, controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, level of education, marital status, MS subtype, disease duration, and disability.
Results
Approximately 35% reported at least one vascular comorbidity, with the most common being hypertension (27.0%), followed by hyperlipidemia (24.9%) and diabetes (8.1%). After factoring in for demographics and disability, having a vascular comorbidity was associated with lower physical HRQOL (β = – 10.05, 95% CI: – 28.24, 23.50), but not mental HRQOL (β = – 2.61, 95% CI: – 10.54, 5.32). Hypertension was negatively associated with several dimensions of HRQOL, including Physical Function, Change in Health, Health Perceptions, Energy, and Health Distress.
Conclusions
Having at least one vascular comorbidity is associated with lower physical HRQOL, independent of demographics and level of physical disability. Focus should be directed to the physical burden and challenges vascular comorbidities may cause on the lives of PwMS.
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Acknowledgements
The PDDS is provided for use by the North American Research Committee on MS (NARCOMS) Registry (www.narcoms.org/pdds). NARCOMS is supported in part by the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) and the CMSC Foundation. The authors would like to thank Dotty Wakefield, MS, for management of the REDCap database and volunteers for their assistance with data collection.
Funding
The study was funded by a BestCare grant from St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Trinity Health of New England.
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LON: Conceptualization, Methodology, Project Administration, Investigation, Funding acquisition, Formal analysis, Writing—Original Draft, Writing—Review and Editing. JAR: Conceptualization, Methodology, Project Administration, Investigation, Funding acquisition, Writing—Review and Editing. ESG: Conceptualization, Methodology, Project Administration, Investigation, Funding acquisition, Formal analysis, Writing—Original Draft, Writing—Review and Editing. REDCap database and volunteers for their assistance with data collection.
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This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Trinity Health of New England Institutional Review Board.
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Neto, L.O., Ruiz, J.A. & Gromisch, E.S. Perceived health- related quality of life in persons with multiple sclerosis with and without a vascular comorbidity. Qual Life Res 33, 573–581 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-023-03546-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-023-03546-3