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Longitudinal predictors of caregiver burden in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a population-based cohort of patient–caregiver dyads

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Abstract

Objective

Caregiver burden is a recognised consequence of caring for a patient with neurodegeneration. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) differs from other neurodegenerations by its rapid progression and impairment of motor, cognitive, and behavioural function, which contribute to caregiver burden. However, longitudinal factors that determine the extent of caregiver burden, and in particular the impact of psychological distress among caregivers, have not been fully established.

Methods

Patients with ALS (n = 85) and their primary caregivers (n = 85) completed three serial evaluations. Caregiver burden was measured using the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). Anxiety and depression were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The Edinburgh Cognitive-Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS) was used to determine cognitive function in patients. The ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R) measured disease progression.

Results

Using the ZBI, caregivers were categorised as high or low burden. In the low burden group, anxiety scores from the HADS predicted caregiver burden (r = 0.410, F = 3.73, p = 0.033), whereas the depression sub-score from the HADS was predictive of caregiver burden in the high burden group (r = 0.501, F = 5.87, p = 0.006) for cross-sectional analyses. Longitudinally, an elevated score on the HADS at Time 1 was the largest predictor of caregiver burden across serial assessments.

Conclusion

In a patient cohort with relatively preserved cognitive function (65%), anxiety and depression at Time 1, as measured by the HADS, were the best predictors of caregiver burden at Time 3. This observation provides a mechanism by which caregiver burden can be identified by health-care professionals and a stepped care programme of intervention initiated.

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Acknowledgements

The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under Grant agreement no (259867); the JPND SOPHIA project; Irish Health Research Board (CSA2012/11); the ALS Association (17-CM-324), and the Irish Institute of Clinical Neuroscience (12549. 201616).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland

    Tom Burke, Marta Pinto-Grau, Katie Lonergan & Niall Pender

  2. Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin 2, Ireland

    Tom Burke, Orla Hardiman, Marta Pinto-Grau, Katie Lonergan, Mark Heverin, Katy Tobin, Miriam Galvin & Niall Pender

  3. Department of Neurology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland

    Orla Hardiman

  4. School of Nursing and Human Sciences, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland

    Anthony Staines

Authors
  1. Tom Burke
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Correspondence to Tom Burke.

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All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical standard

All procedures performed were in accordance with the ethical standards stated in the Declaration of Helsinki.

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Miriam Galvin and Niall Pender are joint senior authors.

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415_2018_8770_MOESM1_ESM.png

Individual performance data on the ZBI, colour-coded by time-point. Continuous black line indicates the cut-off for clinically significant caregiver burden. Linear trends displayed in relation to Time 1 outcome data (PNG 161 kb)

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Burke, T., Hardiman, O., Pinto-Grau, M. et al. Longitudinal predictors of caregiver burden in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a population-based cohort of patient–caregiver dyads. J Neurol 265, 793–808 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-018-8770-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-018-8770-6

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