Quality of life of caregivers of people with multiple sclerosis: Correlations between cognition, clinical variables, and functional dependency
Lara Bardoneschi1, Maria Sol Román1, Flavia Ferrandina2, Johana Bauer2, Roberto Rosa1, Ignacio Casas Parera3, Maria Laura Saladino1, Fernando Caceres1, Sandra Vanotti1
1INERE - Institute of Restorative Neurosciences, 2Multiple Sclerosis Argentina Association, 3School of Medicine, Neurology, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Objective:

Describe the characteristics of caregivers of people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and explore the associations between cognitive and clinical variables of PwMS, and caregiver's quality of life (QoL)

Background:
Caring for PwMS may negatively impact on several aspects of the caregiver's QoL.
Design/Methods:

50 PwMS and their respective caregivers were included. PwMS: 35 women (70%); Relapsing-remitting: 41, Secondary-progressive: 6, Primary-progressive: 3. Age: 47.08±14.43; Education: 14.38±2.91; Physical disability: 4.09±2.65. Depression: 14.30±10.33, Fatigue: 4.01±1.81. Caregivers: 30 women (53%); Age: 53.58±14.05; Education: 14.88±3.08. Outcomes: Expanded Disability Status Scale, Fatigue Severity Scale, Beck Depression Inventory II, Pfeffer Functional Activity Questionnaire, Caregiver Health-related Quality of life in MS (CareQoL-MS), Resource Utilization in Dementia Questionnaire (RUD). Statistical analysis: Descriptive analysis and Pearson's correlation were performed.

Results:

Caregivers’ characteristics: 14% of caregivers report presence of depression (6.74±4.47) and 46% of anxiety (7.64±6.51). 67% caregiver currently live with PwEM; The relationships of the caregiver and PwMS reported are: 44% spouses, 20% parents, 12% siblings, son/daughter 6%, friend 4%, 14% other.

Significant correlations were reported between caregiver's QoL and PwMS cognition in processing speed (r=0.644, p=0.00), verbal memory (r=0.437, p=0.000), and visual memory (r=0.418, p=0.000). The associations between PwMS cognition in processing speed (r=0.352, p=0.012), verbal memory (r=0.385, p=0.006), and visual memory (r=0.378, p=0.007), and caregiver’s anxiety are modest. No association with caregiver’s depression is reported.

Significant negative correlations are shown between the caregiver's QoL and the patient's physical disability (r=0.546, p=0.00), the number of days of assistance in basic activities of daily living (r=0.537, p=0.00), the number of days of assistance in instrumental activities of daily living (r=0.484, p=0.00) and functional dependency (r=0.683, p=0.00).

Conclusions:

Better cognitive performance of the PwMS is associated with a lower level of anxiety and better QoL in caregivers. QoL of caregivers is also correlated with lower functional dependency of PwMS and the time of care.

10.1212/WNL.0000000000202480