Unemployment, work hour reduction, and income loss: An international, multicentered, cross-sectional study of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder
1
Issued Date
2025-01-01
Resource Type
ISSN
13524585
eISSN
14770970
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105012718316
Pubmed ID
40629959
Journal Title
Multiple Sclerosis Journal
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Multiple Sclerosis Journal (2025)
Suggested Citation
Ham A.S., Gomez Hjerthen I., Tian D.C., Gu H., Gao W., Sudhir A., Pandit L., Reddy Y.M., Murthy J.M., Eskandarieh S., Sahraian M.A., Ayoubi S., Rodríguez-Rivas R., González-González F., Flores Rivera J.d.J., Oliveira E.M.L., Portugal R.P., Zaidan P.P.T., Viswanathan S., Koh K., Lim S.Y., Kosiyakul P., Jitprapaikulsan J., Siritho S., Reyes S., Toro J., Gaitán J., Ramirez Navarro D., Comme-Debroth R., Báez J.P.M., Castillo M., Ibis S.d.C., Mendoza de Salazar S., Molina O., Ragab A.H., Fouad A.M., Kishk N.A., Rojas J.I., Cristiano E., Patrucco L., Gülec B., Uygunoglu U., Tutuncu M., Siva A., Aw A.Y.Y., Tan K., Yeo T., Alroughani R., Farouk Ahmed S., Almojel M., Kruja J., Verlaku A., Qirjako O., Estiasari R., Maharani K., Huda S., Kelly P., Iorio R., Sabatelli E., Cobo-Calvo Á., Arrambide G., Villacieros Álvarez J., Broadley S., Leitner U., Abass Cissé F., Lamine Touré M., Conde K., Mateen F.J. Unemployment, work hour reduction, and income loss: An international, multicentered, cross-sectional study of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. Multiple Sclerosis Journal (2025). doi:10.1177/13524585251349139 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/111679
Title
Unemployment, work hour reduction, and income loss: An international, multicentered, cross-sectional study of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder
Author(s)
Ham A.S.
Gomez Hjerthen I.
Tian D.C.
Gu H.
Gao W.
Sudhir A.
Pandit L.
Reddy Y.M.
Murthy J.M.
Eskandarieh S.
Sahraian M.A.
Ayoubi S.
Rodríguez-Rivas R.
González-González F.
Flores Rivera J.d.J.
Oliveira E.M.L.
Portugal R.P.
Zaidan P.P.T.
Viswanathan S.
Koh K.
Lim S.Y.
Kosiyakul P.
Jitprapaikulsan J.
Siritho S.
Reyes S.
Toro J.
Gaitán J.
Ramirez Navarro D.
Comme-Debroth R.
Báez J.P.M.
Castillo M.
Ibis S.d.C.
Mendoza de Salazar S.
Molina O.
Ragab A.H.
Fouad A.M.
Kishk N.A.
Rojas J.I.
Cristiano E.
Patrucco L.
Gülec B.
Uygunoglu U.
Tutuncu M.
Siva A.
Aw A.Y.Y.
Tan K.
Yeo T.
Alroughani R.
Farouk Ahmed S.
Almojel M.
Kruja J.
Verlaku A.
Qirjako O.
Estiasari R.
Maharani K.
Huda S.
Kelly P.
Iorio R.
Sabatelli E.
Cobo-Calvo Á.
Arrambide G.
Villacieros Álvarez J.
Broadley S.
Leitner U.
Abass Cissé F.
Lamine Touré M.
Conde K.
Mateen F.J.
Gomez Hjerthen I.
Tian D.C.
Gu H.
Gao W.
Sudhir A.
Pandit L.
Reddy Y.M.
Murthy J.M.
Eskandarieh S.
Sahraian M.A.
Ayoubi S.
Rodríguez-Rivas R.
González-González F.
Flores Rivera J.d.J.
Oliveira E.M.L.
Portugal R.P.
Zaidan P.P.T.
Viswanathan S.
Koh K.
Lim S.Y.
Kosiyakul P.
Jitprapaikulsan J.
Siritho S.
Reyes S.
Toro J.
Gaitán J.
Ramirez Navarro D.
Comme-Debroth R.
Báez J.P.M.
Castillo M.
Ibis S.d.C.
Mendoza de Salazar S.
Molina O.
Ragab A.H.
Fouad A.M.
Kishk N.A.
Rojas J.I.
Cristiano E.
Patrucco L.
Gülec B.
Uygunoglu U.
Tutuncu M.
Siva A.
Aw A.Y.Y.
Tan K.
Yeo T.
Alroughani R.
Farouk Ahmed S.
Almojel M.
Kruja J.
Verlaku A.
Qirjako O.
Estiasari R.
Maharani K.
Huda S.
Kelly P.
Iorio R.
Sabatelli E.
Cobo-Calvo Á.
Arrambide G.
Villacieros Álvarez J.
Broadley S.
Leitner U.
Abass Cissé F.
Lamine Touré M.
Conde K.
Mateen F.J.
Author's Affiliation
Massachusetts General Hospital
Griffith University
Universidade Federal de São Paulo
Universitas Indonesia
Tianjin Medical University
Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS
Kuwait University
Faculty of Medicine
Siriraj Hospital
Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University
İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine
Taylor's University Malaysia
Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires
Universitas Indonesia, RSUPN Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo
Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía
Nitte (Deemed to be University)
Kuala Lumpur Hospital
National Neuroscience Institute of Singapore
Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust
Al-Amiri Hospital
Multiple Sclerosis Research Center
Ibn Sina Hospital Safat
Universiteti i Mjekësisë, Tiranë
Université de Conakry
Hospital General del Sur
Centro de Esclerosis Múltiple de Buenos Aires
Centre d’Esclerosi Múltiple de Catalunya (Cemcat)
Care Institute of Medical Sciences
Neurological Clinical Research Institute
Hongmian Cancers and Rare Disorders Charity Foundation of Guangzhou
Hospital Padre Billini
Corporación Hospitalaria Juan Ciudad
Griffith University
Universidade Federal de São Paulo
Universitas Indonesia
Tianjin Medical University
Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS
Kuwait University
Faculty of Medicine
Siriraj Hospital
Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University
İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine
Taylor's University Malaysia
Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires
Universitas Indonesia, RSUPN Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo
Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía
Nitte (Deemed to be University)
Kuala Lumpur Hospital
National Neuroscience Institute of Singapore
Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust
Al-Amiri Hospital
Multiple Sclerosis Research Center
Ibn Sina Hospital Safat
Universiteti i Mjekësisë, Tiranë
Université de Conakry
Hospital General del Sur
Centro de Esclerosis Múltiple de Buenos Aires
Centre d’Esclerosi Múltiple de Catalunya (Cemcat)
Care Institute of Medical Sciences
Neurological Clinical Research Institute
Hongmian Cancers and Rare Disorders Charity Foundation of Guangzhou
Hospital Padre Billini
Corporación Hospitalaria Juan Ciudad
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Objectives: To assess loss of employment, work hours, and wages of people with aquaporin-4 antibody-positive or double-seronegative/antibody status unknown neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) internationally. Methods: An investigator-designed survey was administered to adults ages 18–70 years with NMOSD and distributed by neurologists in 23 countries, July 2022 to September 2023. Results: There were 897 participants (635 aquaporin-4 antibody positive, 262 double-seronegative/untested; 81.4% female, average age 42.5 years, average disease duration 7.6 years, median 2 disease attacks since diagnosis). NMOSD impact was visual loss (34.0% unilateral; 28.2% bilateral), 61.8% with spinal cord disease, 55.6% with pain, 43.6% with fatigue, 38.2% with depressed mood, and 25.0% with gait aid use. In total, 92.6% took immunosuppressive therapy. Employment rates were 62.6% before and 36.3% after NMOSD diagnosis. In a multivariable model, statistically significant independent associations with unemployment in NMOSD were older age (odds ratio (OR) = 0.97, p < 0.001), being female (OR = 0.48, p < 0.001), bilateral visual loss (OR = 0.61, p = 0.02), highest frequency of depressed mood (OR = 0.29, p < 0.001), and walking aid use (OR = 0.38, p < 0.001). Discussion: Approximately 1/3 of people living with NMOSD of potential working age are in the workforce. Unemployment in NMOSD is associated with previously recognized factors but also self-reported low mood, gait aid use, and bilateral visual loss.