Luigi Lavorgna, Teresa Costabile, Luca Carmisciano, R Lanzillo, N. Frattaruolo, Giacomo Lus, Alvino Bisecco, Alessio Signori, Simona Bonavita, A. Strianese, G. T. Maniscalco, V. Brescia Morra, Maddalena Sparaco, Elisabetta Signoriello, Simone Cepparulo, Francesco Saccà, Camilla Russo, Lanzillo, R, Sparaco, M, Lavorgna, L, Carmisciano, L, Signoriello, E, Signori, A, Costabile, T, Maniscalco, G T, Saccà, F, Cepparulo, S, Russo, C V, Bisecco, A, Frattaruolo, N, Strianese, A, Lus, G, Brescia Morra, V, Bonavita, S, Lanzillo, R., Sparaco, M., Lavorgna, L., Carmisciano, L., Signoriello, E., Signori, A., Costabile, T., Maniscalco, G. T., Sacca, F., Cepparulo, S., Russo, C. V., Bisecco, A., Frattaruolo, N., Strianese, A., Lus, G., Brescia Morra, V., and Bonavita, S.
Background: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) may help patients and clinicians in selecting disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for multiple sclerosis (MS). Objective: To evaluate PRO differences among first-line DMTs for relapsing-remitting (RR) people with MS (pwMS). Methods: Multicenter study. RR pwMS on first-line DMTs completed Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), PROs Indices for MS (PRIMUS), 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), treatment satisfaction questionnaire for medication (TSQM), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). Differences among PROs across DMTs were tested by ANOVA. Multivariable linear regressions were used to investigate associations between PROs and the treatment group. Results: Two-hundred eighty pwMS were enrolled: 56% were on interferons (INF), 22% on dimethylfumarate (DMF), 13% on glatiramer acetate, and 9% on teriflunomide (Teri). Compared with INF, pwMS on Teri were the oldest, with higher disability, worst depression at BDI, worst cognitive performances at SDMT (p = 0.001), fatigue at FSS (p = 0.001), and activity limitation and quality of life respectively at PRIMUS (p = 0.005) and SF-36 Mental Composite Score (p < 0.001); pwMS on DMF reported highest side effects and, together with pwMS on Teri, better treatment satisfaction at TSQM. Conclusions: Compared with INF-treated patients, pwMS on DMF and Teri reported the best treatment satisfaction, although DMF-treated pwMS reported higher side effects and those on Teri the worst QoL and fatigue; however, the older age, higher disability and depression, and worse cognitive performance of pwMS on Teri suggest to be careful in evaluating these results.