Silvia Balsimelli | PubMed Health

PubMed2004

[Validation of the functional assessment of multiple sclerosis quality of life instrument in a Portuguese language].

The objective of the present study was to translate, to do cultural equivalence and validation of the Functional Assessment of Multiple Sclerosis quality of life instrument (FAMS) to Portuguese. The database analyzed is longitudinal, with 143 patients with clinically defined multiple sclerosis (MS). The validity of the scale was established by correlating total FAMS scores and sub-scales scores to EDSS and EAN. The internal consistency reliability were similar to those of the original FAMS. All sub-scales correlated with each other (0.35 to 0.71). Total FAMS score correlated significantly with EDSS, and EAN. All sub-scales correlated to EDSS. Kendall's Tau coefficient, showed significant associations between basal and first visit. Responsiveness was investigated considering two groups: patients with EDSS < 3.5 and with EDSS > 3.5. There was significantly higher score in the group with light EDSS when compared to the group of patients with moderate EDSS. One can conclude, based on this retrospective study that FAMS instrument translated to Brazilian Portuguese can be considered reliable, responsive and content valid.

Disability Evaluation↗

PubMed2003

[Depression in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis].

The suggestion of a possible relationship between depression and multiple sclerosis (MS) has existed for many years, and the prevalence studies are believed by potential biases. In our country, the prevalence of clinical depression in patients with MS is unknown. The objective of the present study was to ascertain the rate of depression in a group of MS patients and to analyze the relationship to depression, disability, gender, age and duration of illness. We evaluated 84 relapsing-remitting MS patients using the Beck Scale (BS), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD) and the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). The depression was presented at 17.9% and the anxiety at 34.5% of the RRMS patients. There is a correlation between depression and functional disability (p=0.0002), but there is no relation between depression and sex, age or duration of the illness. This analysis confirms that depression is common in persons with MS and suggests the association with functional disability.

Adolescent↗