The neurogenic bladder characteristics and treatment approaches in the patients with multiple sclerosis

MS bladder check tool: Development and validation of a patient awareness tool to facilitate timely management of lower urinary tract dysfunction due to multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Lower urinary tract dysfunction impacts quality of life of people with MS; often, symptoms are 'lived with' or deprioritised by healthcare providers (HCPs). Consequently, patients must be given the skills they need to become confident in managing their illness and enhance their involvement in the process.

OBJECTIVE

To develop and validate a self-assessment tool to help people with MS become more aware of their bladder symptoms and prompt contact with their HCP to facilitate timely management and specialist referral, if required.

METHODS

The 'MS bladder check tool' was developed by a multidisciplinary panel of specialist advisors. Consensus meetings and pilot testing were conducted to design and evolve the tool into a series of nine questions, using population-appropriate language, and covering all aspects of bladder dysfunction in MS. The tool was then validated by an international, multidisciplinary team of experts.

RESULTS

Validity was rated 'excellent' for all questions indicating that the MS bladder check tool is an appropriate method of highlighting bladder problems in people with MS.

CONCLUSION

The MS bladder check tool is simple, easy-to-use, and empowers patients to take charge of their urinary tract health, aiming to improve the management of MS and, ultimately, patient quality of life.

How to explore and explain autonomic changes in multiple sclerosis

Autonomic dysfunction (AD) in people with MS (pwMS) is a frequent finding. This narrative review will present an overview of central neural mechanisms involved in the control of cardiovascular and thermoregulatory systems, and methods of autonomic nervous system testing will be discussed thereafter. Since the need for standardization of autonomic nervous system (ANS) testing, we will focus on the standard battery of tests (blood pressure and heart rate response to Valsalva maneuver and head-up tilt, and heart rate response to deep breathing test plus one of the tests for sudomotor function), which can detect ANS pathology in the majority of pwMS. The review will briefly discuss the other types of AD in pwMS and the use of appropriate tests. While performing ANS testing in pwMS one has to consider the multiple sclerosis phenotypes, disease duration, and its activity, the degree of clinical disability of patients included in the study, and the disease-modifying therapies taken, as these factors may have a great influence on the results of ANS testing. In other words, detailed patient characteristics presentation and patient stratification are beneficial when reporting results of ANS testing in pwMS.

The relationship between severity of overactive bladder symptoms and cognitive dysfunction, anxiety and depression in female patients with multiple sclerosis: Running head: OAB-V8, BICAMS and HAD scale in MS

BACKGROUND

Overactive bladder (OAB), cognitive dysfunction, depression and anxiety are common problems encountered in MS. This study was planned to investigate the relationship between the severity of OAB symptoms and cognitive function, anxiety and depression in MS.

METHODS

100 patients with MS diagnosis with OAB symptoms were recruited. OAB symptoms was assessed with the OAB-V8 questionnaire. Symbol Digit Modalites Test (SDMT), California Verbal Learning Test II (CVLT-II) and Brief Vasospatial Memory Test-Revised (BVMT-R) in BICAMS Battery were used to evaluate cognitive function. Depression and anxiety were assessed with the Hospital Anxiety Depression (HAD) Scale.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 40.9±12.3, the duration of the disease was 9.03±6.89 years, and the mean OAB-V8 score was 17.6±8.9. SDMT test (r=-0.299, p<0.01) showed a moderately significant, CVLT-II (r= -0.219, p<0.05) and BVMT-R (r=-0.218, p<0.05) tests showed a weakly significant negative correlation with OAB-V8 score. There was a moderate positive correlation between the OAB-V8 score and HAD-D (r=0.279, p=0.005) and HAD-A (r=0.318, p=0.001) scores. SDMT and BVMT-R scores were significantly lower in anticholinergic (Ach) drug users (especially oxybutynin users) compared to those who did not use Ach drugs.

CONCLUSIONS

It has been observed that the severity of OAB symptoms is related to worsening of information processing speed and an increase in depression and anxiety. It has been determined that there is a significant effect on information processing speed, visual learning and memory in patients using Ach drugs, especially in those using oxybutynin, compared to those who do not use Ach drugs.