Disease Activity May Correlate With Disability Progression in MS

Key clinical point: Older age at onset and presence of clinical or radiological disease activity was found to correlate with disability progression in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS).

Major finding: The analysis of age at onset showed that for every 10-year increase, the risk of reaching Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores of 4 and 6 increased by 26% and 31%, respectively. Patients with clinical exacerbations reached EDSS scores of 6, 7, and 8 faster than those without associated exacerbations; patients with gadolinium-enhancing lesions reached EDSS scores of 7 earlier.

Study details: A retrospective study conducted at 2 multiple sclerosis clinics in Argentina that included 178 patients with a median age of MS onset of 42 years.

Disclosures: This study was partially financed by an unrestricted grant from Merck Argentina (JC) and supported by internal funds from the Neuroimmunology Department of Fleni. The corresponding author is a board member of Merck-Serono Argentina, Biogen-Idec LATAM, and Merck-Serono LATAM.

Citation: Marrodan M, et al. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2019 Dec 14. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2019.101892.

Key clinical point: Older age at onset and presence of clinical or radiological disease activity was found to correlate with disability progression in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS).

Major finding: The analysis of age at onset showed that for every 10-year increase, the risk of reaching Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores of 4 and 6 increased by 26% and 31%, respectively. Patients with clinical exacerbations reached EDSS scores of 6, 7, and 8 faster than those without associated exacerbations; patients with gadolinium-enhancing lesions reached EDSS scores of 7 earlier.

Study details: A retrospective study conducted at 2 multiple sclerosis clinics in Argentina that included 178 patients with a median age of MS onset of 42 years.

Disclosures: This study was partially financed by an unrestricted grant from Merck Argentina (JC) and supported by internal funds from the Neuroimmunology Department of Fleni. The corresponding author is a board member of Merck-Serono Argentina, Biogen-Idec LATAM, and Merck-Serono LATAM.

Citation: Marrodan M, et al. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2019 Dec 14. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2019.101892.

Key clinical point: Older age at onset and presence of clinical or radiological disease activity was found to correlate with disability progression in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS).

Major finding: The analysis of age at onset showed that for every 10-year increase, the risk of reaching Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores of 4 and 6 increased by 26% and 31%, respectively. Patients with clinical exacerbations reached EDSS scores of 6, 7, and 8 faster than those without associated exacerbations; patients with gadolinium-enhancing lesions reached EDSS scores of 7 earlier.

Study details: A retrospective study conducted at 2 multiple sclerosis clinics in Argentina that included 178 patients with a median age of MS onset of 42 years.

Disclosures: This study was partially financed by an unrestricted grant from Merck Argentina (JC) and supported by internal funds from the Neuroimmunology Department of Fleni. The corresponding author is a board member of Merck-Serono Argentina, Biogen-Idec LATAM, and Merck-Serono LATAM.

Citation: Marrodan M, et al. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2019 Dec 14. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2019.101892.