Clinical course of progressive multiple sclerosis in Brazilian patients.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the clinical course and outcome of multiple sclerosis with progressive onset in Brazilian patients. A total of 238 medical records were reviewed, 26 cases (10.9%) fulfilled Thompson criteria (2000), and 5.80% classified as primary progressive and 5.04% relapsing progressive according to Lublin and Reingold.


METHODS
19 Caucasians and 7 non-Caucasians; male:female ratio 1.2:1, mean age at onset was 34 +/- 7.9 years.


RESULTS
Non-Caucasian patients had earlier onset of disease. The most common manifestations at onset were pyramidal and cerebellar (89% and 34.6%). After 11.3 +/- 6.35 years of disease more than 50% of the patients had involvement of most of their functional systems. No statistically significant differences were observed between the subgroups.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical course and outcome of progressive multiple sclerosis in Brazil, a tropical country with low prevalence, were very similar to those in the multiple sclerosis high prevalence areas.
Vasconcelos
C C F
CC
Pós-graduação em Neurologia da Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Miranda-Santos
C M
CM
Alvarenga
R M P
RM
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014329:Tropical Climate
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones