Objective: Employment is important for patients with chronic illness, and to remain employed is a robust support to them. This study aimed to examine the employment rate and to identify factors associated with employment among multiple sclerosis (MS) in Hong Kong. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed from 2010 to 2011 at five major public hospitals. Fifty-nine clinical definite MS patients with no evidence of dementia (Mini-Mental State Examination ≥ 22) were recruited. Demographic data and neuropsychological test results including memory, visual perception, psychological well-being, motor, executive domain and processing speed were collected. Principal component analysis and logistic regression with multiple imputation were used in data analyses. Results: The employment rate among MS patients was 56%. Patients with better cognitive functions were more likely to be employed (p=0.002). No significant association was found between employment status and age, gender, level of education, types of MS, disease duration, frequency of relapse or use of interferon. Conclusion: MS patients had high unemployment rate (44%) which was 11.5 times higher than the general population in Hong Kong. MS patients with better cognitive functions had higher employment rates.
Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis

There is variable prevalence of multiple sclerosis, higher in those residing in latitude away from the equator, and among the Caucasian population. Multiple sclerosis has not been reported in some countries, partly related to access to modern medicine. Although multiple sclerosis has been reported among the Somali diaspora, it has not been reported among the residents in Somalia. We report an adult Somali woman who has relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis for 8 years, affecting the optic nerves, cerebellum and spinal cord.
Multiple Sclerosis

No abstract available.
Humans* ; Multiple Sclerosis

Objective:The purpose of this study was to examine the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) living in eastern Turkey as well as the factors affecting the use of CAM modalities. Methods:This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. Data were obtained from 130 patients with MS at the neurology clinics of Ataturk University. Results: Out of all patients surveyed, 61.5% reported use of at least one form of CAM. The most common three modalities used by these patients were herbs taken orally, relaxation therapies and prayer, with rates of 55.5%, 26.3% and 18.8%, respectively.Massage and relaxation therapies were perceived as very effective by more than half of study participants.It was determined that variables such as education level, residential area and duration of disease affected the use of CAM (P < .05). Conclusions: CAM therapy is widely used by patients with MS in eastern Turkey.
Multiple Sclerosis ; Complementary Therapies

Objective: This cross-sectional study aims to evaluate the impact of the disability status, psychological resilience, and treatment adherence on health-related quality of life (QOL) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: One hundred MS outpatients, 80 women and 20 men, referred to a clinic of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, were eligible to participate. MS was diagnosed by 2010 revised Mc-Donald criteria. The QOL and resilience were evaluated by the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form (SF-36) and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) respectively. Medication adherence and severity of disease were assessed by the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS) and expanded disability status state (EDSS) scores respectively. Results: Stepwise multiple regressions showed that in the first model, the disability status was the best predictor which accounted for 28.1% of the variance in QOL. In the second model, both the disability status and resilience explained 50.6% of the variation in QOL. Conclusion: The findings showed that the severity of the disease is a strong predictor which has adverse effects on the physical component of health-related QOL in the patients with MS. Both psychological resilience and treatment adherence have positive influence on mental component of QOL in these patients.
Multiple Sclerosis ; Quality of Life

This report describes a 35-year-old female suffering from a cluster-tic syndrome and bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia as the initial manifestation of multiple sclerosis. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed multiple pontine hyperintense lesions. To our knowledge, there is no previous report of multiple sclerosis presenting as cluster-tic syndrome and bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia in the literature. The cluster headache attacks and peri-ocular neuralgiform pain resolved after treatment with intravenous methyl-prednisolone and oral carbamazepine.
Multiple Sclerosis ; Headache Disorders

No abstract available.
Multiple Sclerosis ; Venous Insufficiency

No abstract available.
Humans ; Interferon-beta* ; Interferons* ; Multiple Sclerosis ; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Interferon-beta* ; Interferons* ; Multiple Sclerosis ; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting*