Dyadic Coping of NMOSD and MOGAD patients and their partners: a sociological and psychological examination of strategies (CoMMOnsense-Study)

Walz A, Tkachenko D, Hümmert MW, Schindler P, Bellmann-Strobl J, Paul F, Aktas O, Ringelstein M, Giglhuber K, Zappe C, Leypoldt F, Lüssi F, Ayzenberg I, Schwake C, Wallwitz U, Kretschmer JR, Bütow F, Angstwurm K, Husseini L, Häußler V, Then Bergh F, Haarmann A, Lehrieder D, Warnke C, Kümpfel T, Engels D, Zimmermann T, Trebst C, Albrecht P, Asseyer S, Bayas A, Bednarz N, Behnke S, Berthele A, Bittner S, Buttmann M, Dawin E, Dersch R, Duchow A, Etgen T, Finke C, Fischer K, Foerster M, Fousse M, Frank B, Freitag F, Gahlen A, Gass A, Gehrig J, Geis C, Goereci Y, Gold R, Gomes ABAGR, Graf J, Groppa S, Gutbrod J, Guthke K, Hastermann M, Hellwig K, Hemmer B, Herfurth M, Herwerth M, Hoffmann F, Hoffmann O, Hofstadt-Van Oy U, Ingenhoven K, Junghans J, Kaste M, Kern K, Kern P, Kermer P, Kleinschnitz C, Koehler W, Koerbel K, Kowarik M, Kraemer M, Krumbholz M, Kunzmann V, Kurka N, Ladopoulos T, Landwehr A, Langel S, Lauenstein AS, Laurent S, Lee DH, Liebetrau M, Lindenblatt G, Linker R, Lohmann L, Luedemann P, Maiworm M, Marziniak M, Mayer C, Meister S, Melms A, Mering Mv, Metz I, Meuth S, Naumann J, Nenkov M, Neuhaus O, Neziraj T, Niederschweiberer M, Niehaus S, Oertel FC, Otto C, Pache F, Pakeerathan T, Paryjas S, Pawlitzki M, Pepping S, Pfeuffer S, Pompsch M, Pretzsch RA, Proebstel AK, Protopapa M, Puhlmann HU, Pul R, Rauer S, Rehfeldt T, Retzlaff N, Riedlinger A, Rommer P, Rostasy K, Rothhammer V, Rueckriem L, Ruprecht K, Ruschil C, Saggau C, Schraad M, Schwab M, Schwarz P, Seipelt M, Sieb JP, Soloroza G, Sommer C, Stefanou A, Steinbrecher A, Stephanik H, Steuerwald V, Stoppe M, Stuerner K, Suesse M, Tarampanis A, Tauber S, Tsaktanis T, Tumani H, Wandinger KP, Weber MS, Weise J, Wickel J, Wiendl H, Winkelmann A, Wohlrab F, Yalachkov Y, Zettl U, Ziemann U, Zipp F (2025)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2025

Journal

Book Volume: 7

Article Number: e001193

Journal Issue: 2

DOI: 10.1136/bmjno-2025-001193

Abstract

Background Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated diseases (MOGAD) impose psychological burdens on patients. Chronic illnesses create challenges for both patients and their partners, who also play a crucial role in managing disease-related stress. Despite its relevance, little is known about the role of dyadic coping (DC) in these conditions. This study investigates DC in NMOSD and MOGAD, aiming to provide clinical recommendations. Methods The CoMMOnsense-Study is a cross-sectional, prospective study of 59 NMOSD and 50 MOGAD patients and their respective partners, recruited from 15 centres of the German Neuromyelitis Optica Study Group registry. Participants completed self-report questionnaires on DC, depression, anxiety and quality of relationship. Correlation analyses were performed to compare findings based on antibody status. Subsequently, multivariate regression analyses were conducted to identify relevant predictors of DC. Results Patients with NMOSD and MOGAD demonstrated higher levels of depressive symptoms (NMOSD: p=0.007; MOGAD: p=0.023) and stress communication scores (NMOSD: p=0.022; MOGAD: p=0.013) than their partners. Negative coping was low across all subgroups (Stanine 1). Despite high DC and relationship quality, discrepancies were observed in the coping perceptions between partners. Conclusions Coping is highly shared within partnerships affected by NMOSD and MOGAD, while discrepancies in coping perceptions and protective buffering suggest the presence of unfavourable coping mechanisms. Reducing protective buffering and illness-related distortions shows potential areas for enhancing DC.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf Germany (DE) Klinikum rechts der Isar Germany (DE) Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel Germany (DE) Universitätsmedizin der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz Germany (DE) Katholisches Klinikum Bochum (St. Josef- und St. Elisabeth-Hospital gGmbH) Germany (DE) Krankenhaus Martha-Maria Halle-Dölau Germany (DE) Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (MHH) / Hannover Medical School Germany (DE) Universität Regensburg Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Göttingen Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) Germany (DE) Universität Leipzig Germany (DE) Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg Germany (DE) HELIOS Kliniken Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Jena Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Ulm Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Gießen und Marburg (UKGM) Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Münster Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt am Main (KGU) Germany (DE) Alfried Krupp Krankenhaus Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) Germany (DE) Universitätsmedizin Rostock Germany (DE) Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin Germany (DE) Katharinenhospital Stuttgart Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Magdeburg A.ö.R. Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Leipzig Germany (DE) Universitätsmedizin Greifswald / Universitätsklinikum Greifswald Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Aachen (UKA) Germany (DE) MediClin Hedon Klinik Germany (DE) Knappschaftsklinikum Saar Germany (DE) Technische Universität München (TUM) Germany (DE) Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim gemeinnützige GmbH Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Freiburg Germany (DE) Kliniken Südostbayern AG Germany (DE) Kliniken Maria Hilf GmbH Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes (UKS) Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Essen Germany (DE) Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Mannheim / University Medical Centre Mannheim (Universitätsmedizin Mannheim) Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Regensburg Germany (DE) St. Josefs-Hospital Wiesbaden Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Köln Germany (DE) Universitätsspital Basel Switzerland (CH) Klinikum der Universität München (LMU Klinikum) Germany (DE) Städtisches Klinikum Görlitz Germany (DE) Vestische Caritas-Kliniken GmbH Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Tübingen Germany (DE) Schlosspark-Klinik Germany (DE) Klinikum Bremen-Nord Germany (DE) Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Klinikum Germany (DE) Universitätsspital Zürich (USZ) Switzerland (CH) Universität Wien / University of Vienna Austria (AT) Klinikum Westfalen Germany (DE) Nordwest-Krankenhaus Sanderbusch Germany (DE) Asklepios Kliniken Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Brandenburg an der Havel Germany (DE) Landeskrankenhaus (AöR) Germany (DE) Agaplesion Ev. Bathildiskrankenhaus Germany (DE) Isar-Amper-Hospital Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Walz, A., Tkachenko, D., Hümmert, M.W., Schindler, P., Bellmann-Strobl, J., Paul, F.,... Zipp, F. (2025). Dyadic Coping of NMOSD and MOGAD patients and their partners: a sociological and psychological examination of strategies (CoMMOnsense-Study). BMJ Neurology Open, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjno-2025-001193

MLA:

Walz, Anna, et al. "Dyadic Coping of NMOSD and MOGAD patients and their partners: a sociological and psychological examination of strategies (CoMMOnsense-Study)." BMJ Neurology Open 7.2 (2025).

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