Fatigue, Depression and Quality of Life In Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis During Covid-19 Pandemia

Background: Fatigue,depression and loss in health-related quality of life(HRQoL) have been reported in patients with pediatric-onset Multiple Sclerosis (POMS).This study aims to evaluate depression, fatigue and HRQoL and their relationship in a cohort of patients with POMS and matched healthy controls(HCs). Methods:The Fatigue Severity Scale(FSS), the MOS 36-item short-form health survey(SF-36) and Children Anxiety/Depression Scale were performed in 41 patients with POMS and in 30 HCs followed by Gazi University Department of Child Neurology during the COVID19 pandemia. Results: POMS patients were significantly found to be more anxious than the controls (22.8% vs. 11.2%,p<0.05).The mean FSS (<2.7 is regarded as non fatigue) scores were 1.8 in POMS and 1.1 in HCs. POMS patients had slightly non-significant higher depression scores than of HCs . Also, HRQoL scores of patients with POMS and HCs did not differ significantly. Furthermore; no correlation was found between fatigue and those two parameters in both groups. Discussion: POMS patients were more anxious, depressed and had milder fatigue symptoms compared to HCs which did not affect their HRQoL.This may be due to the overall effect of the pandemia circumstances.Therefore, they found a way of coping with by being slightly depressive but more anxious than the HCs. Conclusion: Invisible signs such as fatigue and depression can easily be overlooked whose main concerns are the difficulties in school and emotional functioning, may affect POMS patients seriously if not properly handled.Clinical attention as early psychlogical and fatigue screening physiotherapy programs oriented toward these conditions are urgently needed.