ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory
demyelinating disease that
affects various parts of the
central nervous system.
Fatigue, a common symptom,
transient, prolonged, or chronic experienced by individuals with MS, can significantly impact daily functioning. It can be associated with underlying
pathological processes or can have an idiopathic cause, such as
chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The study aimed to assess the presence and
etiology of
fatigue in MS
patients and its relationship with CFS. MATERIALS AND
METHODS:
This
cross-sectional study was conducted in the Eastern Province of
Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a
questionnaire from a sample of 225 MS
patients receiving care at our
university hospital. The
questionnaire included the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (
CDC) criteria for diagnosing CFS and the Expanded Disability Status Scale to evaluate
fatigue in MS
patients.
RESULTS:
Of the total of 225 MS
patients who participated in this study, 87.1% were diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS, 6.7% with primary progressive MS, 3.6% with clinically isolated
syndrome, and 2.7% with
secondary progressive MS. About 53% had experienced
fatigue that persisted for over 6 months.
Analysis of CFS
diagnosis revealed that 7.3% of
patients met both
CDC criteria and
self-reported answers while 17.5% reported having CFS despite not meeting the
CDC criteria. These findings highlight a significant lack of agreement between
patient-reported
diagnoses and established criteria, indicating poor agreement (P = 0.028).
CONCLUSION:
The study found an
association between CFS and MS, and a significant impact on daily functioning. The study revealed lack of agreement between
patient-reported
diagnoses and established criteria for CFS. This emphasizes the need for a standardized approach to
diagnosis and evaluation of
fatigue in MS
patients.
