The impact of fatigue on people with multiple sclerosis in Morocco.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS), fatigue is among the leading clinical symptoms. It is one of the most disabling symptoms for most MS people. Objectives: This research measures the prevalence of fatigue and its impact on the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial abilities of individuals with MS in Morocco. Method: This cross-sectional and descriptive study included 152 participants. Data were collected via an online survey using the snowball method, incorporating sociodemographic characteristics and the Arabic version of the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale. Results: According to the results, 89.4% of respondents experienced pathological fatigue, with an average score of 65.52 (± 18.00). There was a significant relationship between pathological fatigue, age (p = 0.0324), and clinical phenotype (p = 0.041). Fatigue negatively impacted participants' physical, cognitive, and psychological capacities, with average scores of 70.38 (± 8.15), 62.28 (± 10.23), and 73.87 (± 1.86), respectively. Conclusion: The results of our study confirmed a high prevalence of fatigue among people with MS in Morocco. Sustained research in this field remains crucial, as it enables the formulation of strategies aimed at enhancing the quality of life for those impacted by MS. Contribution: This study is the first in Morocco to examine fatigue prevalence in people with MS and its impact on their physical, cognitive, and psychosocial abilities. High fatigue levels hinder the integration of people with MS into professional and student life. The findings emphasize the need for effective symptom and fatigue management.

Multiple sclerosis in Morocco: Epidemiological, clinical, and therapeutic profile.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe the clinical, therapeutic, and epidemiological profiles of MS patients in Morocco. METHODS: This descriptive study involved 170 patients representing four Morocco regions. We collected the data using an electronic survey. RESULTS: The results show female dominance in patients with MS. Besides, most patients present with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). The main clinical symptoms reported by patients are fatigue, cognitive issues, spasticity, bowel or bladder complaints, and visual issues. Furthermore, the findings show that almost half of the patients use Interferon bêta-1a and azathioprine as disease-modifying therapies; 60.5 % use traditional and complementary medicine, of which 30.6 % use cupping, 30 % recite the Holy Quran, and 28.2 % use apitherapy. The findings show that there is a statistically significant relationship between specific MS factors such as professional activity (p = 0.0071), degree of satisfaction with treatment (p = 0.005), stress (p = 0.014), and the frequency of relapses. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to DMT, patients also use traditional and complementary medicine. There is also a relationship between some epidemiological characteristics and the frequency of relapses in patients with MS.

Prevalence of overweight/obesity and its associated factors among a sample of Moroccan type 2 diabetes patients.

BACKGROUND: Obesity constitutes a major risk factor for the development of diabetes, and has been linked with poor glycaemic control among type 2 diabetic patients. AIMS: This study examines the prevalence of overweight/obesity and associated factors in type 2 diabetic patients in the Beni-Mellal Khenifra region in Morocco. METHODS: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 among 975 diabetes patients attending primary health centres. Demographic and clinical data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Anthropometric measurements, including body weight, height and waist circumference, were taken using standardized techniques and calibrated equipment. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight was 40.4%, the general obesity was 28.8% and the abdominal obesity was 73.7%. Using multivariate analysis, we noted that the general obesity was associated with female sex (AOR= 3,004, 95% CI: 1.761-5.104, P<0.001), increased age (AOR=2.192, 95% CI: 1.116-4.307, P<0.023) and good glycaemic control (AOR=1.594, 95% CI: 1.056-2.407, P=0.027), whereas abdominal obesity was associated wih female sex (AOR=2.654, 95% CI: 1.507-4.671, P<0.001) and insulin treatment (AOR=2.927, 95% CI: 1.031-8.757, P=0.048). CONCLUSION: Overweight, general obesity and abdominal obesity were high among participants, especially among women. Taken together, these findings urge the implementation of a roadmap for this diabetic subpopulation to have a new lifestyle.