Disability status among multiple sclerosis patients in relation to clinical features and switched drugs

Eissa, Asmaa M; Menecie, Tarek I; Massoud, Hoda M; Abboud, Mohamed A; Rashad, Mohamed H

doi:10.21608/jram.2021.85291.1128

Disability status among multiple sclerosis patients in relation to clinical features and switched drugs

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Neurology Department, Nasser Institute Hospital For Research and Treatment, Cairo, Egypt

² Neurology Department, Faculty of Medicine For boys, Cairo, Al-Azhar University, Egypt

³ Neurology Department, Al-Azhar University For Girls, Cairo, Al-Azhar University, Egypt

⁴ Radiology Department, Faculty of Medicine For boys, Cairo, Al-Azhar University, Egypt

10.21608/jram.2021.85291.1128

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that causes irreversible disability. The main cause of switching between disease modifying therapies (DMTs) in MS is the suboptimal response in which relapses and disability progression are the main clinical outcome measures.
Objective: This study aims to identify the baseline clinical features of disability among MS patients who underwent switching between two or more DMTs.
Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study based on records of MS patients who had been actively receiving available DMTs at the MS unit of Nasser Institute Hospital for Research and Treatment. The data was reviewed and collected using local database registry of the unit in the duration between the year 2016 and 2020. Patients whose records had missing data were excluded from the study.
Results: A total of 274 MS patients’ records were included. There was no significant correlation between the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score and the number of relapses in the first 2 years of disease duration. Also the correlation between the EDSS score and the time from the first presenting symptom to the start of DMT treatment showed weak positive correlation. There was a significant difference when comparing the EDSS across the different first presenting symptoms. The mean EDSS with sensory symptoms was lower than the mean EDSS with motor symptoms.
Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that there is no relation between early relapse rate and later EDSS. Other clinical characteristics as time to start treatment and first presenting symptom showed significant relation to the current disability score.

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