Characteristics of disabilities in patients with subacute myelo-optico-neuropathy living at home: satisfaction in daily life and short form-36.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of disabilities in patients with subacute myelo-optico-neuropathy (SMON), and to reveal whether the satisfaction in daily life (SDL) or short form-36 (SF-36) correlated with these disabilities.

METHOD: The subjects consisted of 97 patients with SMON living at home, who were mailed a questionnaire concerning the patient's profile, SMON severity (disability scale for SMON), basic activities of daily living (self-rating Barthel Index, SR-BI), lifestyle (self-rating Frenchay Activities Index, SR-FAI), SDL and SF-36. A relationship with SDL, SF-36 and disabilities was analysed by using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

Fifty-eight out of 97 patients with SMON responded, and their mean age was 76.1 years. The mean of SMON severity was 8.0; SR-BI, 70.8; SR-FAI, 11.1; SDL, 27.3; physical component summary of SF-36 (PCS), 26.3; mental component summary of SF-36 (MCS), 39.5. The SMON group had significantly lower scores for SDL than those for the age- and sex ratio- matched elderly persons. With respect to SDL, a significant correlation was observed with SMON severity, SR-BI, SR-FAI, SDL, and PCS and MCS of SF-36, but no significant correlation was observed regarding SMON severity and either the PCS or MCS.

CONCLUSIONS

The subjective domains of the quality of life in patients with SMON were observed to have decreased. SDL was considered to closely reflect the characteristics of the disabilities observed in patients with SMON.