title: [Optic neuritis, brain stem syndromes and myelitis: rapid conversion to multiple sclerosis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To establish the early risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) following isolated demyelinating syndromes.
  
  
  METHODS
  36 patients with optic neuritis, 24 with brainstem syndromes, 27 with spinal cord syndromes and 8 patients with a poliregional syndrome were included in a prospective protocol: including clinical data, immunological determinations, oligoclonal bands, visual, somestesic and brainstem evoked potentials and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MRI showed the presence of signal abnormalities in 70% of the patients. The conversion rate (CR) was 18.5%. In patients with a normal MRI, CR was 4% compared to 26% in patients with an abnormal MRI (p = 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The early conversion rate to MS is significantly increased when MRI is abnormal.
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Neuroinmunologia Clínica-Esclerosi Múltiple, Hospital General Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona. tintore@hg.vhebron.es
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tintoré
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rovira
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Río
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Marzo
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Montalban
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001933:Brain Stem; D018450:Disease Progression; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000473:pathology; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009187:Myelitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013577:Syndrome; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors
vernacular_title: Neuritis óptica, síndromes del tronco y mielitis: conversión temprana a esclerosis múltiple.