[Demyelinating lesions in cervical spinal cord and disability in multiple sclerosis patients].
OBJECTIVE
In multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions appear both in brain and cervical cord. The aim of this study was to estimate the presence of MRI changes in cervical cord depending on the course, duration of the disease and a disability.


METHODS
Clinical measures included 66 patients suffering from MS, the diagnosis was made according to McDonald's criteria. Patients were aged from 18 to 62 (41 women and 25 men).


RESULTS
In patients with relapsing-remitting form (EDSS 1-4) single lesions were seen whereas secondary progressive patients (EDSS 3-7) had diffuse demyelinating lesions and primary progressive patients (EDSS 4-8)--both kinds of changes. It has been shown that the lesions occurred as the disease proceeds. Patients without demyelinating lesions in cervical cord had EDSS from 1 to 3 and the duration of their disease was longer than 10 years (benign MS).


CONCLUSIONS
The duration of the disease depends on the presence and character of demyelinating lesions in cervical cord to a large extent. That dependence was not noticed in a primary progressive form. In benign MS there were no lesions in cervical cord.
Bonek
Robert
R
Klinika Neurologii, 10, Wojskowy Szpital Kliniczny, ul. Powstańców Warszawy 5, 85-915 Bydgoszcz.
Sokólska
Elzbieta
E
Kurkiewicz
Tomasz
T
Maciejek
Zdzisław
Z
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009333:Neck; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires