Prominent brainstem and cerebellar involvement in multiple sclerosis with psoriasis.
BACKGROUND
We identified a subgroup of 20 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and psoriasis within a total group of 692 patients with MS.


RESULTS
There was a high (80%) incidence of brainstem and/or cerebellar involvement and a high mean (+/-SD) Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score (6.06 +/- 2.88) in this subgroup. Of the patients who were human leukocyte antigen typed, 53% carried the MS-associated allele, DRB1*1501, and 27% carried the psoriasis-associated DRB1*07 allele.


CONCLUSIONS
The high incidence of brainstem and cerebellar involvement might be explained by the greater severity of MS and the high frequency (60%) of carriage of DRB1*04, DRB1*07, and/or DRB1*13 alleles, which are associated with brainstem and cerebellar involvement in MS.
Ganesvaran
G
G
Department of Neurology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Greer
J M
JM
Pender
M P
MP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000473:pathology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; C456920:HLA-DRB1*07 antigen; C489631:HLA-DRB1*15:01 antigen