Progressive Onset Multiple Sclerosis: Demographic, Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics of Patients With and...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Immunology
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) encompasses various subtypes, including primary progressive MS (PPMS) and progressive relapsing MS (PRMS).
• These progressive forms of MS are less common and have fewer documented characteristics compared to other MS types.
• Understanding the distinct clinical and laboratory profiles of progressive MS is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical and laboratory features of patients with progressive forms of MS (PBMS) in a Turkish cohort.
• To compare the characteristics of PPMS and PRMS subtypes within this patient group.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 32 PBMS patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2014.
• Data collected included demographic information, clinical presentation, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis.
• Patients were categorized into PPMS (n=24) and PRMS (n=8) based on disease course.

Main Results:

• The study included 32 PBMS patients (1:1 female to male ratio), with a mean age of onset of 40 years.
• Motor deficits were the most common presenting symptom; relapses occurred within the first decade of illness for all patients.
• No significant differences were found in age at onset or CSF findings (oligoclonal bands, IgG index) between PPMS and PRMS groups.
• Despite similar disease duration, the PPMS group exhibited a higher median Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score at assessment.

Conclusions:

• This is the first study to focus on the clinical and laboratory findings of Turkish PBMS patients.
• Clinical and laboratory profiles were largely similar between the PPMS and PRMS groups.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is recommended to clarify potential differences in age at onset and IgG index between these progressive MS subtypes.