title: [Sex-related differences in atrophy and lesion load in multiple sclerosis patients].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies showed gender-associated clinical and MRI differences in multiple sclerosis (MS) evolution. However, only few studies were done with non conventional MRI techniques and no one was done in a South American MS population. The aim of this study was to investigate gender differences according to nonconventional MRI measures in patients with MS from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
  
  
  METHODS
  Relapsing-remitting MS patients (RRMS) with at least 6 years of follow up and an MRI at onset and at 6 years were included. Patients were assessed using nonconventional MRI measures: total brain volume (TBV), neocortical grey brain volume (GBV), white brain volume (WBV), lesion load (LL), % of brain volume change between onset and year 6 (% BVC) and regional brain volume change. Gender-related MRI differences were investigated using general linear model analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 45 patients were included (25 female). Mean follow up time was 7.3 ± 0.2 years. No differences in age, EDSS at onset, DMD treatment, TBV, GBV, WBV neither LL were found between gender at baseline. Six years later, males showed a decrease in TBV (P=.002) and GBV (P ≤ 0.001) and an increase in LL (P=.02) and % BVC (P<.001) vs. females. Female patients showed a decrease in the volume of frontal subcortical region.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study showing differences in brain volume changes between gender in MS patients from South America. Future studies will confirm our initial findings.
authors.affiliation: Sección de Neuroinmunología y Enfermedades Desmielinizantes, Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: juan.rojas@hospitalitaliano.org.ar.
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Patrucco
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Besada
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Funes
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cristiano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001118:Argentina; D001284:Atrophy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016014:Linear Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000473:pathology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D055815:Young Adult