Management of fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis

As long as no causal treatment is available for multiple sclerosis (MS), and as long as only some patients with MS respond to immunomodulators, symptomatic treatment is of paramount importance. Fatigue is the most common symptom of MS and is associated with a reduced quality of life. It is described...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Drugs (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2004-01, Vol.64 (12), p.1295-1304
Main Author: ZIFKO, Udo A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amantadine - therapeutic use
Antidepressive Agents - therapeutic use
Benzhydryl Compounds - therapeutic use
Biological and medical sciences
Central Nervous System Stimulants - therapeutic use
Clinical Trials as Topic
Dopamine Agents - therapeutic use
Electromagnetic Fields
Exercise
Fatigue - etiology
Fatigue - therapy
Humans
Medical sciences
Multiple Sclerosis - complications
Multiple sclerosis and variants. Guillain barré syndrome and other inflammatory polyneuropathies. Leukoencephalitis
Neurology
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Description
Summary:As long as no causal treatment is available for multiple sclerosis (MS), and as long as only some patients with MS respond to immunomodulators, symptomatic treatment is of paramount importance. Fatigue is the most common symptom of MS and is associated with a reduced quality of life. It is described as the worst symptom of their disease by 50-60% of patients. The first step in managing MS-related fatigue is identifying and eliminating any secondary causes. Primary fatigue syndrome can be alleviated with drug treatment in many cases. Modafinil has been shown to be effective in some studies, and amantadine is an alternative for patients who do not respond to or cannot tolerate modafinil. The nonpharmacological management of fatigue in MS includes inpatient rehabilitation and aerobic endurance exercise. This article describes the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of MS-related fatigue--the most common symptom of MS.
ISSN:0012-6667
1179-1950
DOI:10.2165/00003495-200464120-00003