Time to diagnosis in multiple sclerosis: Epidemiological data from the German Multiple Sclerosis Registry

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Clinical Research
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) diagnosis relies on clinical and imaging criteria.
• Timely diagnosis is crucial for effective management and treatment of MS.
• Evolving diagnostic criteria aim to improve diagnostic accuracy and speed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the time to diagnosis for multiple sclerosis (MS) in Germany.
• To assess the impact of diagnostic criteria changes on the time to MS diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of real-world registry data from the German Multiple Sclerosis Registry (GMSR).
• Primary analysis included patients with month-specific registration of onset and diagnosis dates.
• Data from 28,658 patients were extracted, with 9836 in the primary analysis.

Main Results:

• Mean time to diagnosis decreased after the introduction of MRI-based McDonald criteria in 2001.
• This effect was most significant in adults aged 18-39 with relapsing onset MS (ROMS), decreasing from 1.9 to 0.9 years between 2010 and 2020.
• Time to diagnosis remained unchanged in older adults (40-50 years) and was longer and static in pediatric MS patients.

Conclusions:

• Sensitive MRI-based diagnostic criteria likely facilitate earlier MS diagnosis in younger adults with ROMS in Germany.
• The impact of earlier diagnosis on disease-modifying treatment initiation and patient outcomes requires further investigation.