Quality of life among multiple sclerosis patients in Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVE: To assess quality of life in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and determine the factors associated with levels of quality of life in MS patients in a public hospital in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2016 to April 2017 in King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Multiple sclerosis patients attending the outpatient and inpatient services were approached and recruited to participate in the study. The Arabic version of EuroQOL-5 Dimensions instrument (EQ-5D) was utilized for the assessment of MS patients quality of life. RESULTS: Data on quality of life were obtained from 292 patients. The reported quality of life of MS patients as measured by the EQ-5D index value score was 0.31±0.51 and the EQ-VAS score was 73.87±23.41, respectively. It was found that quality of life determined numerically in the EQ-5D index value and EQ-VAS deteriorates proportionally according to the disease duration. CONCLUSION: Multiple sclerosis is associated with a considerable effect on the patients quality of life. It continues to be challenging to manage both medically and psychosocially. Clinicians should consider the assessment of quality of life as routine practice along with the other important measures including symptomatic evaluation, laboratory tests, and neuroimaging to provide a holistic care of their MS patients.