Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: an Italian Survey

Authors

  • Marta Altieri Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy Author
  • Flavia Pauri Department of Medical Surgical Science and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy Author
  • Mariangela Fratino Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy Author
  • Antonella Conte IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli (IS) Italy Author
  • Marco Frontoni Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy Author
  • Chiara Merluzzo Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy Author
  • Sebastiano Giuseppe Crisafulli Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy Author
  • Vittorio Di Piero Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47363/JNRRR/2021(3)138

Keywords:

COVID-19 Pandemic, Multiple Sclerosis, Emotions, Disease-Modifying Therapy

Abstract

Background: Italy was one of the first affected countries by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Public health measures like quarantine or national lockdown were adopted, with negative psychological and clinical effects on patients with chronic diseases. To investigate the impact of lockdown on patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), we developed a 36 items self-report questionnaire.

Methods: Questionnaires were emailed to 120 patients with MS and 100 with chronic migraine (CM) as a control group, matched for age, sex, and education. The questionnaire was divided into five domains, evaluating concerns about 1) MS and therapy during COVID-19 pandemic, 2) personal and family caregiving, 3) working activities, 4) general and disease-related emotions during the lockdown, 5) future expectations concerning health status, social life, and working activity.

Results: patients with MS had higher scores than those with CM in domains 4 and 5, investigating respectively general and disease-related emotions and future expectations (p= 0.05 and 0.02 respectively). About half of the patients with MS expressed some concern about the need to continue their therapy during the pandemic compared to people with CM (p= 0.0002).

Conclusions: Covid-19 pandemic had a more negative impact on psychological status of patients with MS compared with those with CM.

Author Biographies

  • Marta Altieri, Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

    Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

  • Flavia Pauri, Department of Medical Surgical Science and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

    Department of Medical Surgical Science and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

  • Mariangela Fratino, Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

    Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

  • Antonella Conte, IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli (IS) Italy

    IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli (IS) Italy

  • Marco Frontoni, Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

    Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

  • Chiara Merluzzo, Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

    Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

  • Sebastiano Giuseppe Crisafulli, Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

    Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

  • Vittorio Di Piero, Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

    Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

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Published

2021-05-31

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 2 (2021): Volume 3 Issue 2

Section

Articles