The Impact of Comorbid Depression on Adherence to Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis

Table 1

Patient characteristics: patients with MS Only compared to Patients with MS & Depression.

Characteristic	MS Only (𝑁=436)		MS & Depression (𝑁=436)		𝜒^2 statistic	𝑃 value
	𝑁	%	𝑁	%
Characteristics matched on
Age					N/A	N/A
<35	54	12.39	54	12.39
35–44	107	24.54	107	24.54
45–54	171	39.22	171	39.22
55–64	95	21.79	95	21.79
65+	9	2.06	9	2.06
Sex					N/A	N/A
Male	55	12.61	55	12.61
Female	381	87.39	381	87.39
Region					N/A	N/A
Northeast	53	12.16	53	12.16
North Central	124	28.44	124	28.44
South	166	38.07	166	38.07
West	93	21.10	93	21.10
Unknown	1	0.23	1	0.23
Year of index date					N/A	N/A
2004	66	15.14	66	15.14
2005	109	25.00	109	25.00
2006	109	25.00	109	25.00
2007	129	29.59	129	29.59
2008	23	5.28	23	5.28
ITT DMT					N/A	N/A
Avonex	97	22.25	97	22.25
Betaseron	51	11.70	51	11.70
Copaxone	198	45.41	198	45.41
Rebif	78	17.89	78	17.89
Tysabri	12	2.75	12	2.75
Other characteristics
Insurance status
Comprehensive	58	13.30	43	9.86	2.52	0.112
Health maintenance org	80	18.35	90	20.64	0.73	0.393
Point-of-service	99	22.71	58	13.30	13.06	<0.001
Preferred provider org	191	43.81	226	51.83	5.63	0.018
Other	8	1.83	19	4.36	4.63	0.032
Copayment with ITT drug	370	84.86	340	77.98	6.82	0.009
Mail order for ITT drug	145	33.26	119	27.29	3.67	0.055
Preperiod Charlson score
0	331	75.92	271	61.16	19.31	<0.001
1-2	93	21.33	132	30.28	9.11	0.003
3+	12	2.75	33	7.57	10.33	<0.001
Preperiod disability proxies
Muscoloskeletal	181	41.51	262	60.09	30.10	<0.001
Medical	137	31.42	210	48.17	25.51	<0.001