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Effect of treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin on quality of life in patients with stiff‐person syndrome
Author(s) -
Gerschlager Willibald,
Brown Peter
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
movement disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.352
H-Index - 198
eISSN - 1531-8257
pISSN - 0885-3185
DOI - 10.1002/mds.10043
Subject(s) - vitality , quality of life (healthcare) , medicine , visual analogue scale , physical therapy , nursing , philosophy , theology
The therapeutic effects of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) on the stiff‐person syndrome (SPS) have been described exclusively in case reports or open‐label studies in terms of clinical outcomes. We investigate whether IVIG improves quality of life (QoL) in the SPS. Six patients with the classic form of SPS completed a generic QoL instrument, the SF‐36, and a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) before treatment as well as 2 weeks after completion of a course of IVIG. There was significant improvement in the SF‐36 subscores for pain, social functioning, general mental health, and energy–vitality with treatment. The VAS also improved significantly. We conclude that treatment with IVIG improves QoL in the SPS. © 2002 Movement Disorder Society.