Impact of neurological impairment, depression, cognitive function and coping on quality of life of people with multiple sclerosis: A relative importance analysis

Abstract

Background: Determining the relative importance of factors that predict quality of life (QoL) in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) must be addressed through multiple regression metrics, e.g. relative weights, which are designed to solve colinearity problems. Objective: We aimed to compare disease variables, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), depressive symptomatology (BDI-FS), cognitive performance and coping in predicting MS patients’ QoL, using relative weights. Methods: We assessed 97 patients with MS, using the Functional Assessment of MS (FAMS) as the criterion. Results: EDSS predicted global and physical QoL domains, whereas BDI-FS predicted general contentment and global QoL. Conclusion: EDSS and BDI-FS are relevant determinants of QoL in people with MS.