Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system and causes a variety of physical and mental disabilities. Several studies have found that comorbid neurologic disorders such as fatigue, migraine, seizure disorders, and sleep disorders are more common in MS patients than in the general population. Objective: To investigate the relationship between daytime sleepiness and physical fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis. Patients and Methods: Forty relapsing-remitting RRMS patients of both sexes were recruited from the outpatient clinic of the Faculty of Physiotherapy as well as the Kasr Al-Ain Multiple Sclerosis Unit (KAMSU) at the Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University. All patients were diagnosed and referred by a neurologist as clinically defined multiple sclerosis (CDMS) according to the revised McDonald's criteria. The study was applied during a period of remission. Patients were selected according to the following criteria: patient age ranged from 20 to 40 years, patients with EDSS no more than four, and patients who have not had relapses for the previous four months, and patients who have sufficient cognitive abilities to be able to understand and follow instructions with a score greater than 24 according to the Miniature Mental State Examination Scale (MMSE). Using Epworth sleepiness scale for daytime sleepiness and Fatigue severity scale for fatigue.
Results: There was no association between the Epworth score for drowsiness (ESS) and fatigue severity scale (FSS).
Relation between patient's results and types of graft used showed no statistically significant differences between them.
Conclusion: It is important to reveal that there is no relationship between daytime sleepiness and the severity or degree of physical fatigue.