Association Between Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Disease Severity in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Introduction Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune neurodegenerative disease that typically leads to neurological signs along with physical and cognitive issues while affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) system. GI dysfunctions like constipation and indigestion frequently affect MS patients, although their relationship with MS disease progression is not well documented. Methods The research team conducted a cross-sectional quantitative study that enrolled 300 adult MS patients between 18 and 65 years of age through purposive sampling. Data collection occurred from January through March 2025 using standardized tools for self-report assessments, clinical evaluations (Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)), and demographic information. Statistics in this study used Pearson correlation and linear regression methods to establish the relationship between GI symptoms and MS severity determinants. The analysis employed one-way ANOVA for group means assessment according to age categories alongside treatment facilities, followed by chi-square (χ²) for examining age-oriented treatment center relations. Results The research data revealed significant positive links between MS disease severity levels and gastrointestinal symptoms (GI) severity (r = 0.132, p <0.05). In contrast, GI symptoms emerged as an essential predictor of disease severity (β = 0.148, p <0.01). The age groups did not affect GI symptoms significantly (F (2,297) = 0.326, p > 0.05). Government centers had higher levels of disability and GI symptoms (F (3,296) = 14.92, p <0.01). The type of treatment center showed no correlation with the age distributions of patients (χ² = 3.525, p = 0.474). The study participants most commonly fell into the age range of 22-24 years old (198 participants (66%)), while 73% (218 participants) were male. Government-controlled treatment centers indicated more gastrointestinal symptoms as well as disability levels when analyzed against both private facilities and semi-government centers. Conclusion The research confirms that gastrointestinal symptoms are both relevant and very weakly associated with disease progression in MS. Systematically observing gastrointestinal symptoms in MS management will generate better patient treatment outcomes. Long-term investigations about treatment strategies must be conducted to measure cause-and-effect relationships while perfecting symptom management strategies for MS patients.