Contribution of impaired mobility and general symptoms to the burden of multiple sclerosis.

Introduction: Few studies have evaluated the contribution of individual symptoms and impairments to the burden of multiple sclerosis (MS). This article reviews the contribution of walking impairment, fatigue, spasticity, depression, and pain, to quality of life (QOL) of the patient and economic burden of MS.

Methods: Studies for inclusion were chosen from the literature that reported on QOL and costs in patients with MS, identified through PubMed searches (main search terms: "multiple sclerosis" combined with "quality of life," "costs," or "burden").