To evaluate the impact of an individualized compensatory cognitive rehabilitation therapy (CRT) program on quality of life measures in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Cognitive challenges are common in MS. This can negatively impact daily function and quality of life. The University of Rochester has multidisciplinary CRT program that develops function-based compensatory interventions for patients with mild to moderate cognitive impairment. Anecdotally, patients report benefit from participating in the CRT program. However, the effect of the program on quality of life measures has not been quantified.

This retrospective chart review of patients with MS compared Neurologic Quality of Life measures (Neuro-QoL) as documented from MSPATHS evaluations obtained before and after participation in the program. Scores were compared to MSPATHS evaluations of patients with MS who were considered for ICRP but did not participate due to travel or insurance barriers.

People with MS who participated in the CRT program saw improvements in NeuroQoL measures of Sleep Disturbance (50.5 from 55.5, p=0.005), Fatigue (52.5 from 57.0, p=0.024), Anxiety (49.8 from 55.4, p=0.011), and Cognitive Function (39.3 from 36.7, p=0.049). By comparison, people with MS who did not participate only demonstrated improvement in Depression scores (43.5 from 47.2, p=0.046). 

Individualized compensatory cognitive rehabilitation appears effective for improving QoL measures in people with MS and cognitive complaints, supporting the need for further randomized prospective analysis of this intervention.