Risk of Psychiatric Disorders in Multiple Sclerosis: A Nationwide Cohort Study in an Asian Population

Abstract

Yao-Ching Huang,1 Wu-Chien Chien,2– 5,* Chi-Hsiang Chung,2– 4 Hsin-An Chang,6,7 Yu-Chen Kao,6,8 Fang-Jung Wan,6 Shi-Hao Huang,1 Ren-Jei Chung,1,* Richard S Wang,9 Bing-Long Wang,2,* Nian-Sheng Tzeng,7,8,* Chien-An Sun10,11 1Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan; 2School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; 3Department of Medical Research, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; 4Taiwanese Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion Association, Taipei, Taiwan; 5Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; 6Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; 7Student Counseling Center, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; 8Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, Song-Shan Branch, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; 9Program of Data Analytic and Business Computing, Stern School of Business, New York University, USA; 10Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan; 11Big Data Research Center, College of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Nian-Sheng TzengDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, 325, Section 2, Cheng-Gung Road, Nei-Hu District, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of ChinaTel [phone] Ext 17484Fax [phone]Email [email protected] WangDepartment of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, 116, Section 6, Minchuan E. Road, Nei-Hu District, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of ChinaTel [phone]Email [email protected]: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease that can damage neurons in the brain and spinal cord and is associated with several psychiatric disorders. However, few studies have evaluated the risk of psychiatric disorders in patients with MS by using a nationwide database. This study investigated the association between MS and the risk of psychiatric disorders.Methods: Using data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database from 2000 to 2015, we identified 1066 patients with MS. After adjustment for confounding factors, Fine and Gray’s competing risk model was used to compare the risk of psychiatric disorders during 15 years of follow-up.Results: Of the patients with MS, 531 (4622.86 per 105 person years) developed psychiatric disorders; by contrast, 891 of the 3198 controls (2485.31 per 105 person years) developed psychiatric disorders. Fine and Gray’s competing risk model revealed an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 5.044 (95% confidence interval = 4.448– 5.870, p < 0.001) after adjustment for all the covariates. MS was associated with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, sleep disorders, schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, and other psychotic disorders (adjusted HR: 12.464, 4.650, 6.987, 9.103, 2.552, 2.600, 2.441, and 2.574, respectively; all p < 0.001). Some disease-modifying drugs were associated with a lower risk of anxiety or depression.Conclusion: Patients with MS were determined to have a higher risk of developing a wide range of psychiatric disorders.Keywords: multiple sclerosis, psychiatric disorders, depression, anxiety

Keywords

• multiple sclerosis
• psychiatric disorders
• depression
• anxiety