Journal
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
Volume 8, Issue 2, Pages 115-118Publisher
ARNOLD, HODDER HEADLINE PLC
DOI: 10.1191/1352458502ms786oa
Keywords
childhood; multiple sclerosis; prognosis
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Fifty-four subjects (36 females and 18 males) affected by clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS) and with onset of the disease at 15 years of age or before were prospectively studied in five Italian MS centres. Female/male ratio was 4.7 in subjects with age greater than or equal to12 years, suggesting a role of hormonal changes in triggering MS onset The mean follow-up duration was 10.9+/-5.6 years. The functional systems more frequently involved at onset were the pyramidal and brainstem (both in 28% of cases). The onset was monosymptomatic in 31 subjects (57%). The course was relapsing-remitting in 39 subjects (72%) and relapsing-progressive in 15 (28%). Disability was assessed by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS): the mean score after 8 years of follow up was 3.5 (+/-2.5). The score was <4 in 68% of cases, between 4 and 6 in 8% of cases, > 6 in 24% of cases. Disability after 8 years was highly predicted by disability in the first year (p=0.008). There was a tendency to a worse prognosis in relation to the number of relapses in the first 2 years (p=0.08). The outcome was not influenced by the characteristics of symptoms at onset age and gender.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available