Skip to main content
  • Neurology.org
  • Journals
    • Neurology
    • Clinical Practice
    • Education
    • Genetics
    • Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation
  • Online Sections
    • Neurology Video Journal Club
    • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)
    • Neurology: Clinical Practice Accelerator
    • Practice Buzz
    • Practice Current
    • Residents & Fellows
    • Without Borders
  • Collections
    • COVID-19
    • Disputes & Debates
    • Health Disparities
    • Infographics
    • Neurology Future Forecasting Series
    • Null Hypothesis
    • Patient Pages
    • Topics A-Z
    • Translations
    • UDDA Revision Series
  • Podcast
  • CME
  • About
    • About the Journals
    • Contact Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Authors
    • Submit New Manuscript
    • Submit Revised Manuscript
    • Author Center

Advanced Search

Main menu

  • Neurology.org
  • Journals
    • Neurology
    • Clinical Practice
    • Education
    • Genetics
    • Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation
  • Online Sections
    • Neurology Video Journal Club
    • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)
    • Neurology: Clinical Practice Accelerator
    • Practice Buzz
    • Practice Current
    • Residents & Fellows
    • Without Borders
  • Collections
    • COVID-19
    • Disputes & Debates
    • Health Disparities
    • Infographics
    • Neurology Future Forecasting Series
    • Null Hypothesis
    • Patient Pages
    • Topics A-Z
    • Translations
    • UDDA Revision Series
  • Podcast
  • CME
  • About
    • About the Journals
    • Contact Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Authors
    • Submit New Manuscript
    • Submit Revised Manuscript
    • Author Center
  • Home
  • Latest Articles
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Neurology Video Journal Club
  • Residents & Fellows

User menu

  • Subscribe
  • My Alerts
  • Log in

Search

  • Advanced search
Neurology
Home
The most widely read and highly cited peer-reviewed neurology journal
  • Subscribe
  • My Alerts
  • Log in
Site Logo
  • Home
  • Latest Articles
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Neurology Video Journal Club
  • Residents & Fellows

Share

April 10, 2018; 90 (15) Article

Psychiatric comorbidity is associated with disability progression in multiple sclerosis

Kyla A. McKay, Helen Tremlett, John D. Fisk, Tingting Zhang, Scott B. Patten, Lorne Kastrukoff, Trudy Campbell, Ruth Ann Marrie, For the CIHR Team in the Epidemiology and Impact of Comorbidity on Multiple Sclerosis
First published March 9, 2018, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000005302
Kyla A. McKay
From the Department of Medicine (K.A.M., H.T., L.K.), Division of Neurology and Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Department of Medicine (J.D.F., T.C.) and School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Professions (T.C.), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada; Department of Health Services, Policy & Practice (T.Z.), Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI; Departments of Psychiatry and Community Health Sciences (S.B.P.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary; and Departments of Internal Medicine and Community Health Sciences (R.A.M.), Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
PhD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Helen Tremlett
From the Department of Medicine (K.A.M., H.T., L.K.), Division of Neurology and Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Department of Medicine (J.D.F., T.C.) and School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Professions (T.C.), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada; Department of Health Services, Policy & Practice (T.Z.), Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI; Departments of Psychiatry and Community Health Sciences (S.B.P.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary; and Departments of Internal Medicine and Community Health Sciences (R.A.M.), Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
PhD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
John D. Fisk
From the Department of Medicine (K.A.M., H.T., L.K.), Division of Neurology and Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Department of Medicine (J.D.F., T.C.) and School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Professions (T.C.), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada; Department of Health Services, Policy & Practice (T.Z.), Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI; Departments of Psychiatry and Community Health Sciences (S.B.P.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary; and Departments of Internal Medicine and Community Health Sciences (R.A.M.), Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
PhD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Tingting Zhang
From the Department of Medicine (K.A.M., H.T., L.K.), Division of Neurology and Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Department of Medicine (J.D.F., T.C.) and School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Professions (T.C.), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada; Department of Health Services, Policy & Practice (T.Z.), Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI; Departments of Psychiatry and Community Health Sciences (S.B.P.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary; and Departments of Internal Medicine and Community Health Sciences (R.A.M.), Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
PhD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Scott B. Patten
From the Department of Medicine (K.A.M., H.T., L.K.), Division of Neurology and Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Department of Medicine (J.D.F., T.C.) and School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Professions (T.C.), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada; Department of Health Services, Policy & Practice (T.Z.), Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI; Departments of Psychiatry and Community Health Sciences (S.B.P.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary; and Departments of Internal Medicine and Community Health Sciences (R.A.M.), Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
MD, PhD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Lorne Kastrukoff
From the Department of Medicine (K.A.M., H.T., L.K.), Division of Neurology and Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Department of Medicine (J.D.F., T.C.) and School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Professions (T.C.), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada; Department of Health Services, Policy & Practice (T.Z.), Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI; Departments of Psychiatry and Community Health Sciences (S.B.P.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary; and Departments of Internal Medicine and Community Health Sciences (R.A.M.), Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
MD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Trudy Campbell
From the Department of Medicine (K.A.M., H.T., L.K.), Division of Neurology and Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Department of Medicine (J.D.F., T.C.) and School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Professions (T.C.), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada; Department of Health Services, Policy & Practice (T.Z.), Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI; Departments of Psychiatry and Community Health Sciences (S.B.P.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary; and Departments of Internal Medicine and Community Health Sciences (R.A.M.), Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
RN
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Ruth Ann Marrie
From the Department of Medicine (K.A.M., H.T., L.K.), Division of Neurology and Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Department of Medicine (J.D.F., T.C.) and School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Professions (T.C.), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada; Department of Health Services, Policy & Practice (T.Z.), Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI; Departments of Psychiatry and Community Health Sciences (S.B.P.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary; and Departments of Internal Medicine and Community Health Sciences (R.A.M.), Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
MD, PhD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
From the Department of Medicine (K.A.M., H.T., L.K.), Division of Neurology and Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Department of Medicine (J.D.F., T.C.) and School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Professions (T.C.), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada; Department of Health Services, Policy & Practice (T.Z.), Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI; Departments of Psychiatry and Community Health Sciences (S.B.P.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary; and Departments of Internal Medicine and Community Health Sciences (R.A.M.), Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Full PDF
Citation
Psychiatric comorbidity is associated with disability progression in multiple sclerosis
Kyla A. McKay, Helen Tremlett, John D. Fisk, Tingting Zhang, Scott B. Patten, Lorne Kastrukoff, Trudy Campbell, Ruth Ann Marrie, For the CIHR Team in the Epidemiology and Impact of Comorbidity on Multiple Sclerosis
Neurology Apr 2018, 90 (15) e1316-e1323; DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000005302

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Permissions

Make Comment

See Comments

Downloads
368

Share

  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Disclosures
  • CME Course
Loading

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.

Abstract

Objective Emerging evidence suggests that comorbidity may influence disability outcomes in multiple sclerosis (MS); we investigated the association between psychiatric comorbidity and MS disability progression in a large multiclinic population.

Methods This retrospective cohort study accessed prospectively collected information from linked clinical and population-based health administrative databases in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Nova Scotia. Persons with MS who had depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder were identified using validated algorithms using physician and hospital visits. Multivariable linear regression models fitted using an identity link with generalized estimating equations were used to determine the association between psychiatric comorbidity and disability using all available Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores.

Results A total of 2,312 incident cases of adult-onset MS were followed for a mean of 10.5 years, during which time 35.8% met criteria for a mood or anxiety disorder. The presence of a mood or anxiety disorder was associated with a higher EDSS score (β coefficient = 0.28, p = 0.0002, adjusted for disease duration and course, age, sex, socioeconomic status, physical comorbidity count, and disease-modifying therapy exposure). Findings were statistically significant among women (β coefficient = 0.31, p = 0.0004), but not men (β coefficient 0.22, p = 0.17).

Conclusion Presence of psychiatric comorbidities, which were common in our incident MS cohort, increased the severity of subsequent neurologic disability. Optimizing management of psychiatric comorbidities should be explored as a means of potentially mitigating disability progression in MS.

Glossary

BC=
British Columbia;
BCMS=
British Columbia Multiple Sclerosis;
CI=
confidence interval;
DMSRU=
Dalhousie Multiple Sclerosis Research Unit;
DMT=
disease-modifying therapy;
EDSS=
Expanded Disability Status Scale;
GEE=
generalized estimating equations;
ICD=
International Classification of Diseases;
MS=
multiple sclerosis;
MSSS=
Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score;
NS=
Nova Scotia;
SES=
socioeconomic status

Footnotes

  • Go to Neurology.org/N for full disclosures. Funding information and disclosures deemed relevant by the authors, if any, are provided at the end of the article.

  • Coinvestigators are listed at links.lww.com/WNL/A346.

  • CME Course: NPub.org/cmelist

  • Received August 29, 2017.
  • Accepted in final form January 8, 2018.
  • © 2018 American Academy of Neurology
View Full Text

AAN Members

We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.

Google Safari Microsoft Edge Firefox

Click here to login

AAN Non-Member Subscribers

Click here to login

Purchase access

For assistance, please contact:
AAN Members (800) 879-1960 or (612) 928-6000 (International)
Non-AAN Member subscribers (800) 638-3030 or (301) 223-2300 option 3, select 1 (international)

Sign Up
Information on how to subscribe to Neurology and Neurology: Clinical Practice can be found here 

Purchase
Individual access to articles is available through the Add to Cart option on the article page.  Access for 1 day (from the computer you are currently using) is US$ 39.00.  Pay-per-view content is for the use of the payee only, and content may not be further distributed by print or electronic means.  The payee may view, download, and/or print the article for his/her personal, scholarly, research, and educational use.  Distributing copies (electronic or otherwise) of the article is not allowed.

Letters: Rapid online correspondence

No comments have been published for this article.
Comment

REQUIREMENTS

You must ensure that your Disclosures have been updated within the previous six months. Please go to our Submission Site to add or update your Disclosure information.

Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.

If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.

Submission specifications:

  • Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
  • Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
  • Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
  • Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
  • Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.

More guidelines and information on Disputes & Debates

Compose Comment

More information about text formats

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
Author Information
NOTE: The first author must also be the corresponding author of the comment.
First or given name, e.g. 'Peter'.
Your last, or family, name, e.g. 'MacMoody'.
Your email address, e.g. higgs-boson@gmail.com
Your role and/or occupation, e.g. 'Orthopedic Surgeon'.
Your organization or institution (if applicable), e.g. 'Royal Free Hospital'.
Publishing Agreement
NOTE: All authors, besides the first/corresponding author, must complete a separate Publishing Agreement Form and provide via email to the editorial office before comments can be posted.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Vertical Tabs

You May Also be Interested in

Back to top
  • Article
    • Abstract
    • Glossary
    • Methods
    • Results
    • Discussion
    • Author contributions
    • Study funding
    • Disclosure
    • Disclaimer
    • Footnotes
    • References
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Disclosures
  • CME Course

More Online

CME Course

Differentiating Multiple Sclerosis From AQP4-Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder and MOG-Antibody Disease With Imaging

Dr. Ann Yeh and Dr. Daniela Castillo Villagrán

► Watch

Topics Discussed

  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Cohort studies
  • Depression

Alert Me

  • Alert me when eletters are published

Recommended articles

  • Article
    Effects of physical comorbidities on disability progression in multiple sclerosis
    Tingting Zhang, Helen Tremlett, Feng Zhu et al.
    Neurology, January 03, 2018
  • Article
    Differences in the burden of psychiatric comorbidity in MS vs the general population
    Ruth Ann Marrie, John D. Fisk, Helen Tremlett et al.
    Neurology, October 30, 2015
  • Article
    Socioeconomic status and disability progression in multiple sclerosis
    A multinational study
    Katharine E. Harding, Mark Wardle, Robert Carruthers et al.
    Neurology, February 22, 2019
  • Article
    Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score in a large US cohort
    Jonathan D. Santoro, Michael Waltz, Greg Aaen et al.
    Neurology, July 20, 2020
Neurology: 101 (12)

Articles

  • Ahead of Print
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Popular Articles
  • Translations

About

  • About the Journals
  • Ethics Policies
  • Editors & Editorial Board
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise

Submit

  • Author Center
  • Submit a Manuscript
  • Information for Reviewers
  • AAN Guidelines
  • Permissions

Subscribers

  • Subscribe
  • Activate a Subscription
  • Sign up for eAlerts
  • RSS Feed
Site Logo
  • Visit neurology Template on Facebook
  • Follow neurology Template on Twitter
  • Visit Neurology on YouTube
  • Neurology
  • Neurology: Clinical Practice
  • Neurology: Education
  • Neurology: Genetics
  • Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation
  • AAN.com
  • AANnews
  • Continuum
  • Brain & Life
  • Neurology Today

Wolters Kluwer Logo

Neurology | Print ISSN:0028-3878
Online ISSN:1526-632X

© 2023 American Academy of Neurology

  • Privacy Policy
  • Feedback
  • Advertise