The impact of increasing neurological disability of multiple sclerosis on health utilities: a systematic review of the literature

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating disease, accompanied by neurological symptoms of varying severity. Utilities are a key summary index measure used in assessing health-related quality of life in individuals with MS.Objectives: To provide a systematic review of the literature on utilities of relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS) patients and to review changes in utilities associated with the increasing neurological disability of different stages of MS, as measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).Methods: Employing pre-defined search terms and inclusion/exclusion criteria, systematic searches of the literature were conducted in EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, the Health Economic Evaluation Database (HEED), and the NHS Economic Evaluations Database (NHS/EED). Proceedings for the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR), the European Society for Treatment and Research in MS (ECTRIMS), the American Society for Tr...