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Clinical profile of multiple sclerosis in north-west India
P Syal1, S Prabhakar, A Thussu
1Department of Neurology, Immunopathology and Radiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, U.T., 160012, India.
Abstract:
A total of 100 patients were enrolled in this study with the clinical diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). This included prospective analysis of 35 patients and retrospective analysis of 65 patients from their medical records spanning a period from January 1986 to March 1998. They were divided into 3 groups (i) overall group (ii) MRI group (where MRI was available) (iii) No MRI group (where MRI was not available). Data in terms of clinical features and laboratory investigations were compared in the three groups. MS was found to constitute 2.54% of neurology admission between January 1993 to December 1997. It was higher as compared to previous data from our institute (1.58%). Cerebellar symptoms were higher in the MRI group as compared to the non MRI group. The clinical spectrum of MS in the MRI group was comparable to that in the west. Obviously the MRI helps in early diagnosis of milder and atypical cases. Oligoclonal bands were found in 30.5% of cases only.
Insights
This study on multiple sclerosis (MS) found that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) aids in diagnosing milder cases. MS prevalence increased at the institute, with cerebellar symptoms more common in patients who had MRI scans.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Clinical Medicine
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) diagnosis and clinical presentation vary.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a key diagnostic tool in neurology.
- Understanding the clinical spectrum of MS is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the clinical features and laboratory investigations of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.
- To compare clinical data between patients with and without MRI availability.
- To assess the diagnostic utility of MRI in identifying milder or atypical MS cases.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective and prospective analysis of 100 patients diagnosed with MS.
- Categorization into overall, MRI available, and no MRI groups.
- Comparison of clinical features and laboratory data across the groups.
Main Results:
- MS constituted 2.54% of neurology admissions between 1993-1997, an increase from previous data (1.58%).
- Cerebellar symptoms were more prevalent in the MRI group compared to the no MRI group.
- The clinical spectrum of MS in the MRI group aligned with Western data, suggesting MRI's role in early diagnosis.
Conclusions:
- MRI facilitates the early diagnosis of milder and atypical multiple sclerosis cases.
- The clinical presentation of MS in the studied population is comparable to international findings.
- Oligoclonal bands were detected in only 30.5% of the evaluated MS patients.