Investigating the associated factors of mood disorders and fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients with cognitive impairment: A cross-sectional study (PP-15)

Objectives: This study aims to investigate associated factors of mood disorders and fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients with cognitive impairment
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 70 out of 155 MS patients who exhibited cognitive impairment (CI) from a referral clinic in Kerman, Iran, between 2023-2024. The Persian-adapted Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS) tests have been used. Independent t-test has been used to compare the dimensions of CI in patients with and without CI, and also linear regression used to investigate the factors affecting mood disorder and fatigue.
Results: Out of 70 patients, 61 (87.1%) were women. The most symptoms they reported were fatigue and mood disorders. The mean of BICAMS domains in patients with CI was significantly lower than in non-CI patients (P<0.05). And the Symbol Digit Modality Test (SDMT) was the most frequently impaired domain (63.3%). A regression analysis showed a positive association of age (B=0.727, P<0.001), MS duration (B=0.381, P<0.001), and EDSS (B=1.876, P<0.001) with mood disorders. Furthermore, woman participants exhibited greater fatigue intensity than men (B=0.336, P<0.001). Additionally, as EDSS increased, fatigue intensity increased (B=0.475, P<0.001).
Conclusion: Information processing speed and working memory wereQ the most affected cognitive domains in MS patients. Furthermore, mood disorders were more prevalent in older patients and those with higher EDSS, while fatigue was more pronounced in women and those with higher EDSS. Therefore, it is of higher importance to address the issue of CI and its association with fatigue and depression, particularly in the Iranian people.