Length of Disease More than Therapy Impacts Anxiety and Depression in Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) often report a reduced quality of life related to their anxiety and
depression associated with the biological unknowns of MS. The COVID-19 pandemic increased the risk
of anxiety due to the uncertainties related to vaccine efficacy and immune-suppressing disease-modifying
therapies. PwMS were recruited from the Neurology Clinic of the Penn State Hershey Medical Center
and asked to complete a demographic questionnaire and surveys on depression (MS-Beck Depression
Inventory, MS-BDI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The rationale for the
study is to determine whether treatment modalities, age, and length of disease impacted anxiety and/or
depression in PwMS. Data from 150 participants were included in the analyses. The overall mean age
was 54.6 years with a 3.7:1 female:male ratio and mean length of disease of approximately 17 years.
Mean scores of the HADS-D, and high scores (> 8) were 4.68 ± 0.3 and 10.0 ± 0.32, respectively, with
no differences between males and females. The mean HADS-A score was 6.15 ± 0.36 with significant
differences recorded between male and females. The mean high HADS-A score was 10.77 ± 0.40, with
no differences between sexes. The mean MS-BDI score was 4.15 ± 0.7 with no differences between
males and females. Analyses of anxiety scores in relationship to length of disease revealed no differences
between males and females. Anxiety scores did not differ for PwMS on different disease-modifying
therapies. In conclusion, the number of years that PwMS had the disease impacted anxiety levels more
than the age or treatment regimen..