title: Clinical outcome of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis among Hong Kong Chinese.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical outcome of Chinese relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients is uncertain.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the long-term clinical outcome of Chinese RRMS patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  RRMS patients with duration of 10 years or longer followed up in our hospital is retrospectively studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  61 RRMS patients (75% female) were studied. Their mean symptom onset age was 25.9 years and mean duration was 20.6 years (range 10-33); 36% patients had received β-interferon and 30% azathioprine. Their mean EDSS scores were 3.3 (range 1-7) and 4.7 (range 1-8) at 10 years and latest follow-up (mean duration 20.6 years) respectively. At 10 years, 30% patients had EDSS score ≤2, 34% EDSS 2.5-3.5, 20% EDSS 4.0-5.5 and 16% ≥6; 18% developed SPMS. At latest follow-up, 15% patients had EDSS ≤2, 20% EDSS 2.5-3.5, 19% EDSS 4.0-5.5 and 46% ≥6.0; 53% developed SPMS. The median time from symptom onset to EDSS 6 was 22 years. No differences were detected in demographic characteristics, presenting neurological features, number of attacks in first 2 years, neuroradiological findings and disease modifying therapies between patients with EDSS <6 and ≥6 at ten years. EDSS scores at 10 years and latest follow-up were similar for patients who had received β-interferon and those who had not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hong Kong Chinese RRMS patients may have worse long-term clinical outcome than Caucasian patients.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. koonhochan@hotmail.com
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: P W L
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.forename: J S C
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.forename: J W M
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: A C Y
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: R S K
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D044466:Asian People; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016899:Interferon-beta; D001379:Azathioprine