title: Malignant multiple sclerosis: clinical and demographic prognostic factors.
abstract: Patients with malignant multiple sclerosis (MMS) reach a significant level of disability within a short period of time (Expanded Disability Status Scale score of 6 within five years). The clinical profile and progression of the disease were analyzed in a Brazilian cohort of 293 patients. Twenty-five (8,53%) patients were found to have MMS and were compared with the remaining 268 (91,47%). Women, non-white patients, older age at disease onset, shorter intervals between the first attacks, and more attacks in the first two years of the disease were all more common in the MMS group. These findings could serve as prognostic factors when making therapeutic decisions.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Neurologia, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Fabrício
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hampshire-Araújo
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Câncer, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bergmann
authors.affiliation: Hospital Federal da Lagoa, Departamento de Neurologia, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil.|Hospital Universitário Gaffree e Guinle, Departamento de Neurologia, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Regina Maria Papais
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Alvarenga
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Neurologia, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Cláudia Cristina Ferreira
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index