EARLY ONSET OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS - CLINICAL FEATURES

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Pediatric Neurology
• Neuroimmunology

Background:

• Childhood-onset multiple sclerosis (MS) presents diagnostic difficulties.
• Understanding early-onset MS is crucial for timely diagnosis and management.
• Comparing pediatric MS to adult MS provides insights into disease heterogeneity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze parameters of early-onset MS in children compared to adult MS patients.
• To investigate differences and similarities in initial symptoms and disease course.
• To enhance diagnostic and treatment strategies for pediatric MS.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of patients with central nervous system demyelinating disease.
• Categorization into pediatric (onset <18 years, n=52) and adult (20-55 years) groups.
• Comparison of initial symptoms, polysymptomatic onset, and time to second relapse.

Main Results:

• Children rarely presented with polysymptomatic onset (p=0.020).
• Initial symptoms in children: optic neuritis (35.3%) and ataxia (35.3%).
• Initial symptoms in adults: sensory disturbances (41.6%) and pyramidal symptoms (37.6%).
• Second relapse occurred in 78.4% of pediatric patients (median 12 months) and 78.2% of adults (median 9 months).

Conclusions:

• Initial clinical manifestations of MS in children are comparable to those in adults.
• Disease course parameters, including relapse rates, show similarities between pediatric and adult MS.
• Findings suggest a unified approach to MS management, with consideration for age-specific nuances.