title: Early prognostic factors for disability in multiple sclerosis, a European multicenter study.
abstract: The effects of initial clinical variables on short-term prognosis are analyzed in a cross-sectional study of 574 multiple sclerosis patients from 7 centers in 5 European countries. Patients with a primary progressive course had a 2.3 higher mean disability score (EDSS) than the primary remittent group after a mean duration of disease of 6.6 years. High age at onset was associated with a primary progressive course, and was also related to increased risk of a rapid shift to a secondary progressive course. Among the remittent patients without a secondary progressive course a high age at onset was significantly correlated to a higher disability score. In the whole remittent group the presence of pyramidal and cerebellar symptoms at onset predicted both a high disability score and a rapid shift to a secondary progression, while the effect was reverse for sensory and visual symptoms. No difference between the sexes was found.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Riise
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grønning
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lauer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Midgard
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Minderhoud
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nyland
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pálffy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poser
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Aarli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011379:Prognosis; D012737:Sex Factors