Diagnostic uncertainty during the transition to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis: Multicenter study in Argentina.
Mult Scler
; 27(4): 579-584, 2021 04.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32484381
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
A period of diagnostic uncertainty often characterizes the clinical transition from relapsing to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS).OBJECTIVE:
The aim of this study was to describe the length of time required to reclassify relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients who have clinically transitioned to SPMS (diagnosis uncertainty).METHODS:
This is a retrospective multicenter cohort study conducted in Argentina, identifying in every center all patients with diagnosis of MS who transitioned from RRMS to SPMS during the follow-up. We identified the dates of the last definitive RRMS and first definitive SPMS diagnoses for diagnostic uncertainty. The time required to reclassify RRMS who transitioned to SPMS and the time from disease onset to reclassify SPMS were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.RESULTS:
A total of 170 patients were included, where the mean age at disease onset (first symptom) was 36 ± 6 years; the length of time required to reclassify RRMS patients who transitioned to SPMS was 3.3 ± 1.1 years (range = 1-7 years); and the time from disease onset to classify SPMS was 19.4 ± 8.5 years (range = 16-35 years).CONCLUSION:
A period of diagnostic uncertainty regarding the transition from RRMS to SPMS was present in many of our patients, with a mean time of 3.3 years.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive
/
Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting
/
Multiple Sclerosis
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Etiology_studies
/
Incidence_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Humans
/
Infant
Country/Region as subject:
America do sul
/
Argentina
Language:
En
Journal:
Mult Scler
Journal subject:
NEUROLOGIA
Year:
2021
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Argentina