Clinical, Psychological, and Behavioral Factors Associated with Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis

Background/Objectives: Fatigue is one of the most common and disabling symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and is associated with clinical, psychological, and behavioral factors. This study aimed to identify factors independently associated with fatigue severity in patients with MS and assess their relative contribution to fatigue variability.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 148 patients with MS in Slovakia (105 women and 43 men; mean age 42.21 ± 9.84 years). Neurological disability and fatigue were assessed using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), respectively. Pain was assessed using the SF-36 Bodily Pain domain. Depressive symptoms, anxiety, kinesiophobia, and physical activity were assessed using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK), and Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ), respectively. Hierarchical linear regression was used to identify factors independently associated with fatigue.