Table 1.
Summary of the characteristics of the studied neurosarcoidosis population subdivided into those with normal Cognitive Failure Questionnaire (CFQ) scores and those with high CFQ scores
| Total | CFQ < 43 | CFQ ≥43 | p-values# | |
| Patients, n (%) | 131 | 58 (44.3) | 73 (55.7) | - |
| Sex (male:female), n (%) | 67(51.1): 64 (48.9) | 27(46.6): 31 (53.4) | 40 (54.8): 33 (45.2) | 0.349 |
| Age, years (range) | 51.9±10.4 (21-75) | 52.8±11 (21-75) | 51.4±10.0 (28-74) | 0.444 |
| Time since diagnosis, years (range) | 8.7±7.2 (0-35) | 8.0±6.7 (0-35) | 9.3±7.6(1-35) | 0.292 |
| Symptoms | ||||
| - Pain, n (%) | 92 (70.2) | 32 (55.2) | 60 (82.2) | 0.001 |
| - Cough and dyspnea, n (%) | 30 (22.9) | 5 (8.6) | 25 (34.2) | 0.001 |
| - Ocular, n (%) | 57 (43.5) | 21 (36.2) | 36 (49.3) | 0.133 |
| - Cardiac, n (%) | 9 (6.9) | 4 (6.9) | 5 (6.8) | 0.992 |
| - Skin, n (%) | 48 (33.6) | 15 (25.9) | 31 (42.5) | 0.048 |
| - Joint, n (%) | 89 (67.9) | 33 (56.9) | 56 (76.7) | 0.016 |
| - Hypercalcemia, n (%) | 9 (6.9) | 2 (3.4) | 7 (9.6) | 0.168 |
| - Kidney stones, n (%) | 3 (2.3) | 0 (0) | 3 (4.1) | 0.118 |
| Medication use | ||||
| - never, n (%) | 26 (24.4) | 12 (20.7) | 14 (19.2) | 0.829 |
| - first line treatment, n (%) (prednisone or dexamethasone) | 99 (75.6) | 43 (74.1) | 56 (76.7) | 0.733 |
| - second line treatment, n (%) (methotrexate azathioprine, mycolfenolate mofetyl) | 50 (38.2) | 20 (34.5) | 30 (41.1) | 0.439 |
| - third line treatment, n (%) (anti-TNF-alpha: adalimumab, infliximab) | 22 (16.8) | 10 (17.2) | 12 (16.4) | 0.903 |
| Psychological variables | ||||
| Self-reported | ||||
| Depressive symptoms | 33 (25.2) | 8 (13.8) | 25 (34.2) | 0.007 |
| Sleeping disturbances | 70 (53.4) | 18 (31) | 52 (71.2) | <0.0001 |
| Questionnaires | ||||
| CFQ score | 45.6±20.7 | 27.0±10.9 | 60.3±13.4 | <0.0001 |
| FAS total score | 34.8±8.0 | 30.2±7.8 | 38.5±6.3 | <0.0001* |
| - FAS-score <22, n (%) | 10 (7.6) | 9 (15.5) | 1 (1.4) | |
| - FAS-score 22-34, n (%) | 51 (38.9) | 33 (56.9) | 18 (24.7) | |
| - FAS-score >34, n (%) | 70 (53.4) | 16 (27.6) | 54 (74) | |
| FAS mental score | 15.8±4.4 | 13.5±4.0 | 17.6±3.9 | <0.0001 |
| FAS physical score | 19.0±4.1 | 16.7±4.1 | 20.8±2.9 | <0.0001 |
| SFNSL score | 39.7±21.3 | 29.0±18.9 | 48.3±19.3 | <0.0001* |
| - SFNSL score <11, n (%) | 11 (8.4) | 10 (17.2) | 1 (1.4) | |
| - SFNSL score 11-48, n (%) | 69 (52.7) | 38 (65.5) | 31 (42.5) | |
| - SFNSL score >48, n (%) | 51 (38.9) | 10 (17.2) | 41 (56.2) |
Data are expressed as means ± SD, n=absolute number or percentages. # p-value CFQ <43 vs CFQ ≥43, *p-value for total and subscores. CFQ=Cognitive Failure Questionnaire, FAS=Fatigue Assessment Scale, SFNSL=Small Fiber Neuropathy Screening List