Today we will discuss possible differences men and women may have in health-related quality of life, symptom management, treatment management, and even personality.
Compliance and Disease Management
A recent study published in the Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy (JMCP) sought to evaluate gender differences in self-reported clinical characteristics, symptom awareness, and perceived ability to manage therapy among MS patients taking a disease-modifying drug. How do we respond differently to our MS?
Of 4700 patients surveyed, only 44.1% responded. Of those 2022 patients, 80.6% were female, 82.3% were relapsing-remitting, and 83.1% were taking Avonex (33.4%), Rebif (15.9%), or Copaxone (33.8%). Curious that Betaseron, Tysabri, or Novantrone were not called out as well, only referred to as the 16.9% who were not using one of the drugs mentioned above.
The flip side of the 2022 patients who responded is that 19.4% were male (4:1 ratio, women to men) and 17.7% were progressive. Comparatively, the men were typically older and a great proportion of them had more progressive MS. This reinforces what we discussed in MS in Men vs. Women: Does Gender Matter?
Read this post in its entirety:
MS in Men and Women: Disability, Compliance, Personality, and Mental Health
Showing posts with label Gender. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gender. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Men and Women, Living with MS
Some of the issues identified in relation to gender and MS include:
* MS is more common in women, but severity of the disease may be worse in men.
* The prevalence of MS and ratio of women to men has increased during the 20th century and continues to increase.
* In studies involving men with MS, male gender was predictive of a shorter time period before an assistive walking device was required. For example, men were quicker to need devices such as canes after diagnosis.
* Men have a higher rate of cerebellar involvement and a higher risk of primary-progressive disease, both of which are factors associated with a poorer prognosis. A study has found that progranulin gene variability increases the risk of PPMS in men.
* The disease in women tends to be more inflammatory with greater number of gadolinium-enhancing lesions. Men tend to develop more “black holes” as seen on MRI scans.
* Some studies have shown gender has no effect on life expectancy in MS. Some studies have shown shorter than expected life expectancies of men with MS, others have shown longer than expected life expectancies. Perhaps MS in men doesn’t make a difference after all in longevity.
Read this post in its entirety:
MS in Men and Women: Does Gender Matter?
* MS is more common in women, but severity of the disease may be worse in men.
* The prevalence of MS and ratio of women to men has increased during the 20th century and continues to increase.
* In studies involving men with MS, male gender was predictive of a shorter time period before an assistive walking device was required. For example, men were quicker to need devices such as canes after diagnosis.
* Men have a higher rate of cerebellar involvement and a higher risk of primary-progressive disease, both of which are factors associated with a poorer prognosis. A study has found that progranulin gene variability increases the risk of PPMS in men.
* The disease in women tends to be more inflammatory with greater number of gadolinium-enhancing lesions. Men tend to develop more “black holes” as seen on MRI scans.
* Some studies have shown gender has no effect on life expectancy in MS. Some studies have shown shorter than expected life expectancies of men with MS, others have shown longer than expected life expectancies. Perhaps MS in men doesn’t make a difference after all in longevity.
Read this post in its entirety:
MS in Men and Women: Does Gender Matter?
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