Assessment and Treatment Strategies for a Multiple Sclerosis Relapse

Relapses are the hallmark features of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). True relapses may be challenging to accurately diagnose. A clinician must rely on a combination of history, exam findings, laboratory studies, and neuroimaging to decide whether or not to treat for a presumed relapse. Although many consider MRI as the gold standard diagnostic test, it may not be rapidly accessible and still could miss lesions. In light of this diagnostic complexity, future directions including development and validation of a scale to assess MS relapse probability and severity would be useful to multiple sclerosis specialists and practicing neurologists. Given the complex pathophysiology of MS, more research is needed to ascertain the validity of promising biomarkers for predicting relapse.