Research from IJMSC July 2024

Here's the latest multidisciplinary multiple sclerosis (MS) research from the International Journal of MS Care.

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The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the labor market in the UK that led to the government introducing a job retention effort to support furloughed workers, including individuals with MS. De Dios Perez et al explore the employment experiences of people with MS during the pandemic, revealing challenges (eg, managing fatigue and concentration) and benefits (eg, increased flexibility from working from home). The findings also highlight that working people with MS would benefit from ongoing vocational support and accommodations.

Cigarette smoking is a notable environmental risk factor for MS that is associated with increased disease progression, higher inflammatory activity, and reduced effectiveness of DMTs. This study from Latin America highlights that current smokers with MS experience higher fatigue, anxiety, and physical impact scores, emphasizing the need for neurologists to prioritize smoking cessation discussions and interventions.

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Yalçın et al find that the Patient-Reported Impact of Spasticity Measure Scale-Turkish, the first self-reported measure in Turkish on spasticity experiences for people with MS, is a reliable and valid evaluation of the impact of spasticity.

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This study from Amsterdam finds that multidisciplinary rehabilitation is critical for individuals with advanced MS due to their complex needs and decreased health-related quality of life. Mood disturbances, particularly depression, are strongly associated with both HRQOL and social-care-related quality of life, emphasizing the need to address mood to enhance overall quality of life.

Author Megan Weigel believes the response shift phenomenon, where changes in health status alter internal standards and perceptions, affected the research outcomes of an integrative medicine workshop series. Despite participants' positive feedback on activities, there were minimal statistical improvements. Could qualitative studies better capture the benefits of integrative medicine in MS care?

Come back next month for more research from the IJMSC community or check out our website for the latest at any time.