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DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-991863
Longitudinal association between health-related quality of life and personality factors in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Objectives: (1) To perform a prospective long-term follow-up of health-related quality of life (QOL) in ALS patients and (2) to investigate the relationship of personality factors with course of QOL and disease progression. Methods: Longitudinal data on QOL were collected prospectively for 12 months from 31 ALS patients. Monthly self-ratings of global QOL and of seven health-related QOL functions, as well as ALSFRS (ALS Functional Rating Scale) scores were analyzed using a linear mixed model approach. Results: QOL and ALSFRS scores decreased during follow-up. More agreeable patients, despite similar total duration of disease, had higher QOL at the beginning of the follow-up period but their decline of QOL over time was significantly steeper than that of less agreeable patients, finally displaying lower QOL and faster disease progression. Conclusions: These findings suggest that disagreeableness might serve as a protective personality factor with respect to QOL and disease progression in ALS.