Validation of the Multiple Sclerosis International Quality of Life questionnaire

Abstract

This study aims to validate the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) International Quality of Life (MusiQoL) questionnaire, a multi-dimensional, self-administered questionnaire, available in 14 languages, as a disease-specific quality of life scale that can be applied internationally. A total of 1992 patients with different types and severities of MS from 15 countries were recruited. At baseline and day 21 +/- 7, each patient completed the MusiQoL, a symptom checklist and the short-form (SF)-36 QoL questionnaire. Neurologists also collected socio-demographic, MS history and outcome data. The database was randomly divided into two subgroups and analysed according to different patient characteristics. For each model, psychometric properties were tested and the number of items was reduced by various statistical methods. Construct validity, internal consistency, reproducibility and external consistency were also tested. Nine dimensions, explaining 71% of the total variance, were isolated. Internal consistency and reproducibility were satisfactory for all the dimensions. External validity testing revealed that dimension scores correlated significantly with all SF-36 scores, but showed discriminant validity by gender, socio-economic and health status. Significant correlations were found between activity in daily life scores and clinical indices. These results demonstrate the validity and reliability of the MusiQoL as an international scale to evaluate QoL in patients with MS.

Clinical and imaging correlates of the multiple sclerosis impact scale in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis

“…There is some evidence that changes in EDSS scores in the context of clinical trials may partly represent temporary fluctuation in function or variations in measurement rather than sustained disability due to irreversible myelin and neuroaxonal loss [30] and it is possible that the EDSS has a limited sensitivity for detecting neurological dysfunction in secondary progressive MS. However, a number of previous studies which have good correlation between EDSS the physical component of QoL measures [9,16,[31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42] and so the lack of a correlation in this study may reflect the limited sensitivity of EDSS in this subject group in particular, in whom the selection criteria ensured a narrow baseline range. Significant correlation of MSIS-29 measures with components of the MSFC were found.…”

Quality of life, depression, and cytokine patterns in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with antiviral therapy

“…In our experience, self-administered questionnaires are suitable to assess psychiatric and other adverse events among chronic patients on therapy, as reported in literature in other medical settings. [35][36] The impact of Peg-IFN and ribavirin on the cytokine patterns is not completely clear. [16][17][18] In the literature some authors have suggested that some cytokines (eg.…”

Impact of depression on multiple sclerosis patients

“…The impact of MS and concomitant depression has been widely studied using clinical scales such as the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) [8], standardized quality of life instruments such as the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire [9], and specific depression rating scales [10][11][12][13]. However, information is still lacking on how depression affects patients' own views of their illness, and the measures needed to improve the management of MS in depressed patients.…”