Associations of the Expanded Disability Status Scale with anxiety and depression in multiple sclerosis outpatients

Objectives We evaluated cross-sectionally the associations of depression and anxiety with age, sex, duration of illness, educational level, degree of disability and treatment with interferon-beta in outpatients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) during a clinically stable phase of their illness. Materials and methods The depression status scored on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the symptoms of anxiety assessed using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the level of disability measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) were quantified in 86 consecutive RRMS patients. Results Linear regression analyses indicated that EDSS was independently (P < 0.001) associated with BDI and STAI and accounted for 15.7% and 18.5% of the variance in BDI and STAI respectively. The former association retained its statistical significance in multiple regression models adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics. Conclusions Disability status is an independent but moderate determinant of depression and anxiety in MS patients.