Barriers to and Facilitators of Adjustment Among Iranian Multiple Sclerosis Patients: A Qualitative Study.

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience various physical symptoms and psychosocial problems that disrupt their normal life, and adapting to these conditions is vital for them. Many factors that serve as facilitators of and barriers to achieving adjustment should be identified to be able to help the patients. This study was conducted to explain the experiences of patients with MS regarding the facilitators of and barriers to adjustment using conventional content analysis. The participants consisted of 18 patients, one nurse, one physician, and one patient companion, who were selected from the Multiple Sclerosis Clinic of BouAli, northern Iran, through purposive sampling. Data were collected through individual, in-depth, and semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the method recommended by Elo and Kyngäs (2008). The data analysis generated five subcategories as facilitators and five subcategories as barriers. The subcategories of facilitators included family's appropriate behavior with the patient, occupation, studying and information gathering, religious beliefs, and turning attitude into disease simplification and optimism. The subcategories of barriers were concerns about the uncertain future of the disease, physicians' poor communication and behavior, society's poor attitude, economic problems, and unsatisfactory support by the government and insurance companies. The results showed that a set of individual, environmental, and social factors serves as facilitators of or barriers to the process of adjustment to MS in patients. Gaining knowledge about these factors in congruence with the sociocultural context of the society, as derived from people's real experiences, can help healthcare staff and the family of these patients provide more efficient assistance to the patients for achieving adjustment earlier.

Epidemiology of familial multiple sclerosis in Iran: a national registry-based study.

BACKGROUND: Admittedly, little is known about the epidemiological signatures of familial multiple sclerosis (FMS) in different geographical regions of Iran. OBJECTIVE: To determine the epidemiology and the risk of FMS incidence in several provinces of Iran with a different ethnic population including, Fars, Tehran, Isfahan (Persians), and Mazandaran (Mazanis), Kermanshah (Kurds), and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari (Lors). METHODS: This cross-sectional registry-based study was performed on nationwide MS registry of Iran (NMSRI) data collected from 2018 to 2021. This system, registers baseline characteristics, clinical presentations and symptoms, diagnostic and treatments at regional and national levels. RESULTS: A total of 9200 patients including, 7003 (76.1%) female and 2197 (23.9%) male, were participated. About 19% of patients reported a family history of MS; the order from highest to lowest FMS prevalence was as follows: Fars (26.5%), Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari (21.1%), Tehran (20.5%), Isfahan (20.3%), Mazandaran (18.0%), and Kermanshah (12.5%). Of all FMS cases, 74.7% (1308 cases) were female and 25.3% (442 cases) were male. FMS occurrence was much more common in females than males (P-value = 0.001). Further, the mean age at onset was 30 years among FMS cases. A substantially higher probability of relapsing-remitting MS and secondary-progressive MS was found among FMS cases than sporadic MS (SMS) (P_value = 0.001). There was no significant difference in Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores between FMS and SMS. The majority of FMS cases were observed among first-degree relatives, with the highest rate in siblings. There was a significant association between MS risk and positive familial history in both maternal and paternal aunt/uncle (P_value = 0.043 and P_value = 0.019, respectively). Multiple sclerosis occurrence among offspring of females was higher than males (P_value = 0.027). CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our findings imply a noteworthy upward trend of FMS in Iran, even more than the global prevalence, which suggests a unique Atlas of FMS prevalence in this multi-ethnic population. Despite the highest rate of FMS within Persian and Lor ethnicities, no statistically significant difference was observed among the provinces.

The Effects of COVID-19 on Patients with Acute Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate how COVID-19 affects patients with acute ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was performed on adult patients (> 18 years old) with stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic) who were admitted to hospital with or without COVID-19. The primary outcome was stroke-related disability, which was measured by mRS at baseline and discharge. Hospital duration, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and mortality were considered the secondary outcomes. RESULTS: From February 2019 until August 2020, we recruited and analyzed 151 patients, 42 of whom had COVID-19 based on RT-PCR tests or lung CT scan findings. COVID-19 positive patients had higher baseline and final mRS scores than the control group (4.46 ± 0.67 vs 4.79 ± 0.61, P: 0.001, 3.83 ± 1.22 vs 4.46 ± 0.67, P: 0.001). Moreover, stroke patients with COVID-19 experienced a more severe disease and required a higher rate of ICU admission (17 vs 0, P:0.001) and longer hospitalization compared to those without COVID-19 (8.50 ± 7.86 vs 7.5 ± 11.20, P: 0.021). Also, mortality was higher in the COVID-19 group (19 vs 13, P:0.001). There was not any significant differences between the two groups in terms of the involvement of cerebral arteries and type of stroke. Male sex, COVID-19, and ICU admission were the main independent risk factors for death. CONCLUSION: The results of the study showed stroke patients (ischemic or hemorrhagic) with COVID-19 can have more disabilities and incur more hospital complications and mortality than non-COVID-19 patients.

Ischemic stroke associated with novel coronavirus 2019: a report of three cases.

INTRODUCTION: There is limited evidence about the neurological manifestations of COVID-19 in infected patients. In this report, we describe three patients with ischemic stroke associated with COVID-19 infection. METHODS: We report 3 cases of adult patients with ischemic stroke and novel coronavirus 2019 infection. Case 1 is an 88-year-old female with acute left hemiplegia and right peripheral facial paresis that she had a fever along with stroke symptoms. Case 2 is an 85-year-old female with left hemiplegia and drowsiness who had a weakness, asthenia, and dry cough 3 days before appearing stroke signs. Case 3 is a 55-year-old male with acute Broca's aphasia and right hemiplegia who experience fever and respiratory problems 3 days after admission. RESULTS: The clinical symptoms of infected patients with COVID-19 have been associated with severe symptoms of ischemic stroke. Two patients were admitted to the ICU. RT-PCR of the oropharyngeal sample was positive in three cases. All patients had the involvement of large cerebral arteries. CONCLUSION: The mechanism by which COVID-19 causes ischemic stroke is unknown but it is likely by production inflammatory cytokines or direct infection of cerebral arteries. Therefore, regarding the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is indispensable that the possible diagnosis of COVID-19 vasculopathy is considered in all ischemic strokes of unclear etiology.

Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis revisited.

Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis is a rare autosomal recessive lipid storage syndrome defined clinically by the triad of progressive neurodegeneration, juvenile cataracts and tendon xanthomas in adults. It is treatable, and a prompt diagnosis can improve outcomes. We describe a patient with this condition who presented with progressive ataxia.

Evaluation of Urinary Tract Infection following Corticosteroid Therapy in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Exacerbation.

The first treatment for multiple sclerosis exacerbation is usually short-term intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP), with or without a regimen of oral prednisone taper (OPT). This study aims to evaluate the effects of IVMP and OPT in comparison with IVMP alone in raising the risk of urinary tract infection (UTI) and posttreatment improvement of urinary tract symptoms in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. This double-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on 56 people with multiple sclerosis relapse who had undergone methylprednisolone for 5 days. Patients were randomly split into two groups: oral prednisolone and placebo (tapering for 20 days). Demographic data, duration of multiple sclerosis, urinary tract symptoms, the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score, and urine data were analyzed. The incidence of UTI in the intervention and control groups did not differ significantly (p=560). However, the improvement of urinary tract symptoms in the intervention group was significantly more favorable than in the control group (p ≤ 0.001). Furthermore, administering OPT after IVMP did not increase the risk of UTI occurrence in patients with multiple sclerosis exacerbation. The urine analysis results did not show any differences at baseline and after the corticosteroid tapering regimen. Due to the risk of infection by corticosteroids, it is no longer necessary to do further urinary screening in this group of patients.

Does the multiple sclerosis (MS) map need to change again? An update of MS prevalence in Mazandaran province of Iran in 2018.

BACKGROUND: Information of Previous studies on the prevalence of MS, including our study conducted 12 years ago, used to shape global prevalence map of MS. According to those results, Iran placed in medium-prevalence MS region in the world Atlas of MS 2013.This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of MS in Mazandaran province after 12 years and the need for possible changes in the global map of the prevalence of MS. METHODS: We included all MS patients living in Mazandaran province in 2018 in this descriptive cross-sectional study. We updated our pre-existing registration questionnaires which included demographic information and medical data of MS patients by interview. We obtained the demographic profile of Mazandaran province from the most recent census in 2016 and the National Civil Registry of the Mazandaran province for calculating prevalence of MS. RESULTS: The total number of MS patients in Mazandaran was 2418 (25.8% male and 74.2% female) with a female to male ratio of 2.9. Based on the local population of 3,332,556, (50.4% male and 49.6% female), this study showed a prevalence of 72.5 per 100,000 for MS in this region. The prevalence of this disease by gender was 37.1 per 100,000 for men and 108.5 per 100,000 for women. The mean (SD) age of the patients at the time of the study was 38.5 (10.1) years with a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 75 years. The most common type of MS was Relapsing-Remitting MS with 86%. CONCLUSIONS: All recent studies showed significant upward trend in the prevalence of MS around the world. Based on the results of our study and many other studies in Iran, the Atlas of MS prevalence map needs to be update. Iran's status should be changed to the high-prevalence of MS in the new Atlas. Due to the increasing prevalence of MS, we suggest an adjustment in the Global MS Prevalence Scale.

Therapeutic Use of Intrathecal Mesenchymal Stem Cells in patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Study with Booster Injection.

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a potential therapy for various diseases. Here, the results of intrathecal injection of MSCs in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four patients were enrolled in the study. Three were male and one was female. There were three secondary-progressive MS patients and one relapsing-remitting MS patient. An amount of 50-80 ml of bone marrow was collected from the patients. MSC cultures were collected for each microbiological examination at each change of medium and passage as well as at the time of sample injection. Then, MSCs were injected into the patients by the intrathecal method. In two patients, the injection was replicated in 1 year. RESULTS: All the patients were followed up for 2 years. Three patients who had secondary progression did not show disease progress after the injection, and the disease entered a stable state. A degree of recovery was observed in two patients. The relapsing-remitting patient suffered an attack that led to corticosteroid injection. None of the patients reported side effects. In terms of magnetic resonance imaging, there were no new plaques or enhanced plaques. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that injection of MSC can be a suitable method, especially for secondary-progressive patients. It seems that reinjection of these stem cells can be safe and sustaining it positively increases the effects of this therapeutic approach.

Management of seizures in patients with multiple sclerosis; an Iranian consensus.

PURPOSE: Cooccurrence of a seizure in a patient with multiple sclerosis (MS) may complicate the management process. Questions, which may complicate the management process of a patient with MS and seizure, include "how should we approach to the patient", "how should we treat the patient", "how should we modify the patient's MS treatment strategy", etc. METHODS: We searched the electronic database PubMed on March 30, 2018 for articles in English that included the following search terms: "epilepsy" AND "multiple sclerosis" or "seizure" AND "multiple sclerosis" since 2013, to obtain the best recent relevant scientific evidence on the topic. A working group of 6 epilepsy and 5 MS experts took part in two consensus workshops in Tehran, Iran, in 2018. The final consensus manuscript was prepared and approved by all participants. RESULTS: The search with words "seizure" and "multiple sclerosis" yielded 121 entries; 10 were relevant to the topic. The search with words "epilepsy" and "multiple sclerosis" yielded 400 entries; 7 were relevant to the topic. We reviewed these 17 articles and also some other references, derived from these articles or relevant to the topic, for the purpose of our review. CONCLUSION: Cooccurrence of a seizure in a patient with MS may complicate the management process. In this review, we tried to provide answers to the frequently asked questions, considering the best available scientific evidence and expert opinion.

A national registry-based study of ethnic differences in people with multiple sclerosis in Iran.

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between MS and ethnicity has been understudied in the Middle East compared to the United States and Europe. As Iran as the highest prevalence of MS in the Middle East, we decided to investigate the demographic and clinical differences in people with MS (pwMS) from major ethnicities Iran. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study using data from National Multiple Sclerosis Registry in Iran. PwMS from six provinces were chosen and interviewed for determining their ethnicity. Persians (Fars), Kurds, Lurs, Azeris and Arabs with a clear ethnic background were included. Recorded data from the registry was used to compare the demographic and clinical features. RESULTS: A total of 4015 pwMS (74.2% female) were included in the study with an average age of 36.76 ± 9.68 years. Persians and Kurds had the highest percentage of pwMS in youngest and oldest age groups, respectively, with 2.9% and 5.7% (p<0.01). The highest average age of onset was seen in Persians (29.47 ± 8.89) and the lowest observed in Mazandaranis (26.82 ± 7.68, p<0.01). Azeris and Kurds had the highest proportions of pwMS diagnosed <18 and >55, at rates of 12% and 1.6%, respectively (p<0.01). There were statistically significant differences in distribution of phenotypes (p<0.01) and time to progression to secondary progressive MS (p<0.01) such that Persians had the highest rate of clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) at 19.3% and Arabs had highest rates of relapsing-remitting MS (86.2%) and secondary progressive MS (16.4%). Lurs, Azeris and Mazandaranis had significantly more patients progressing to secondary-progressive MS <5 years from diagnosis (p<0.01). There was a significant difference in number of relapses between the ethnicities (p<0.01) with Lurs having the highest proportion of participants reporting >4 relapses with 23.0% and Azeris having the highest percentage of pwMS reporting no relapse (53.0%). Kurds had the highest Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) average at 2.93 ± 1.99 and Lurs had the lowest with 1.28 ± 1.25 (p<0.01). The differences in prevalence of positive family history for the whole cohort between ethnicities were significant (P=0.02), ranging from 12.8% in Kurds to 19.6% in Persians. CONCLUSION: We found Persians to have higher rates of pediatric MS and higher rates of CIS. Kurds and Lurs had higher and lower EDSS scores, respectively. Lurs and Persian had higher annual relapse rates. We also found lower rates of SPMS among Arabs and earlier progression to SPMS in Lurs, Azeris and Mazandaranis. Such differences highlight the importance of the potential role of ethnicities in diagnosis and prognosis of MS, especially considering their observation within the geographical limits of a single country.

Time interval between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and the influential factors: A national registry-based study.

OBJECTIVE: The time to diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) is of great importance for early treatment, thereby reducing the disability and burden of the disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the time from the onset of clinical symptoms to the diagnosis of MS and to evaluate the factors associated with a late diagnosis in Iranian MS patients. METHODS: The present cross-sectional study was conducted on patients with MS who were registered in the National MS Registry System of Iran (NMSRI). RESULTS: Overall, 23291 MS patients registered in 18 provinces of Iran were included in this study. The mean (standard deviation) interval between the onset of the disease and diagnosis of MS was 13.42 (32.40) months, and the median was one month. The diagnostic interval of 41.6% of patients was less than one month, and 14.8% of them had a one-month time to diagnosis. Patients with an age of onset below 18 years and those diagnosed after the age of 50 years had a longer time to diagnosis (P<0.001). Patients with primary progressive MS (PPMS) had the longest time to diagnose and those with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) had the shortest time (P<0.001). The results of negative binominal regression showed that the average rate of delay in diagnosis in women was 12% less than that in men. The average delay in diagnosis in patients with a positive family history of MS was 23% more than that in others. The rate of delay in the diagnosis of patients with PPMS and secondary progressive MS was 2.22 and 1.66 times higher, respectively, compared with RRMS. CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study revealed that more than half of the MS patients were diagnosed within a one-month interval from the symptom onset, which is an acceptable period. More attention should be paid to patients' access to medical facilities and MS specialists.

Consanguineous marriage among familial multiple sclerosis subjects: A national registry-based study.

Background: The rising prevalence of familial multiple sclerosis (MS) in Iran has spurred interest in the potential impact of parental consanguinity on the risk of developing the disease. This study aims to aggregate current knowledge on parental consanguinity and its possible effect on MS risk, particularly among familial MS patients from various regions and ethnicities in Iran. The objective is to enhance the understanding of MS genetics and encourage further research in this field. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on clinically definite familial MS (FMS) patients registered in the nationwide MS registry of Iran (NMSRI). Data were extracted and supplemented with structured telephone follow-ups to gather detailed histories of MS in relatives and the familial relationships of the patients' parents. A family penetration score was proposed. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistical tests were used to analyze the data at a significance level of 0.05, adhering to ethical guidelines. Results: Out of 19,911 individuals registered in the NMSRI, 2307 FMS patients across 13 provinces were included in the final analysis. Among these, 385 (19.3 %) reported parental consanguinity, with 283 (14.2 %) having parents who were cousins and 102 (5.1 %) having parents who were distant relatives. The data showed no significant association between parental kinship and variables such as MS phenotype, number of affected relatives with MS, hospitalization rates, and expanded disability status scale score. Similarly, MS severity did not differ based on parental consanguinity (P-value >0.05). While the rate of consanguineous marriage was higher among patients with an onset age less than 18 years, there was no statistically significant difference in disease onset age based on parental consanguinity status. Conclusion: Our study highlights the complexity of factors influencing MS development, including genetic and environmental components. These results highlight the need for further research to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of MS etiology.

A multi-centre longitudinal study analysing multiple sclerosis disease-modifying therapy prescribing patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic raised concern amongst clinicians that disease-modifying therapies (DMT), particularly anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and fingolimod, could worsen COVID-19 in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). This study aimed to examine DMT prescribing trends pre- and post-pandemic onset. METHODS: A multi-centre longitudinal study with 8,771 participants from MSBase was conducted. Two time periods were defined: pre-pandemic (March 11 2018-March 10 2020) and post-pandemic onset (March 11 2020-11 March 2022). The association between time and prescribing trends was analysed using multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression. DMT initiation refers to first initiation of any DMT, whilst DMT switches indicate changing regimen within 6 months of last use. RESULTS: Post-pandemic onset, there was a significant increase in DMT initiation/switching to natalizumab and cladribine [(Natalizumab-initiation: OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.39-2.13; switching: OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.40-1.98), (Cladribine-initiation: OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.09-1.87; switching: OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.41-1.98)]. Anti-CD20mAb initiation/switching decreased in the year of the pandemic, but recovered in the second year, such that overall odds increased slightly post-pandemic (initiation: OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.06-1.49; Switching: OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.02-1.29. Initiation/switching of fingolimod, interferon-beta, and alemtuzumab significantly decreased [(Fingolimod-initiation: OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.41-0.73; switching: OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.41-0.58), (Interferon-gamma-initiation: OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.41-0.57; switching: OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.62-0.99), (Alemtuzumab-initiation: OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.15-0.48; switching: OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.17-0.44)]. CONCLUSIONS: Post-pandemic onset, clinicians preferentially prescribed natalizumab and cladribine over anti-CD20 mAbs and fingolimod, likely to preserve efficacy but reduce perceived immunosuppressive risks. This could have implications for disease progression in pwMS. Our findings highlight the significance of equitable DMT access globally, and the importance of evidence-based decision-making in global health challenges.

The effects of bupropion on sexual dysfunction in female patients with multiple sclerosis: A double-blind randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Sexual dysfunction (SD) is one of the most common complications of multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of bupropion on SD among female patients with MS. METHODS: This double-blind placebo-control randomized clinical trial was conducted on MS patients with SD complaint. Diagnosis was based on the secondary SD subscale scores of the Multiple Sclerosis Intimacy and Sexuality Questionnaire-19 (MSISQ-19). Accordingly, individuals scoring above 27 based on this scale were diagnosed with SD. The subjects were randomly assigned to the bupropion and placebo groups. Bupropion was administered 75 mg twice daily for twelve weeks. As for the study outcomes, besides MSISQ-19, quality of life (Multiple Sclerosis Quality Of Life-54 (MSQOL-54)), fatigue (Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI)), depression and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and bupropion tolerability were assessed at baseline as well as at weeks 6 and 12. RESULTS: From 84 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 64 patients completed the trial and were analyzed. Demographics and baseline clinical characteristics were not significantly differed between the two groups. The results showed the mean score of MSISQ-19 from baseline to the end of the study period significantly improved in the bupropion group compared with the placebo (week 6: P: 0.03; week 12: P: 0.03). Similarly, MFI scores showed significant improvement in the bupropion group compared with the placebo group (P: 0.001). Both anxiety and depression scores showed significant alterations at study interval between the two groups (Anxiety: weeks 6 and 12: P:0.04; depression: week 6: 0.01, week 12: 0.02). However, there was no significant change in the MSQOL-54 score between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The results of the study substantiated that bupropion can be an effective agent for SD improvement in female patients with MS. Further clinical trials with larger sample sizes can more accurately evaluate the observed findings.

Relationship between medical history and multiple sclerosis: A-case-control study.

This project sought to explore the potential association between medical history and the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) by conducting a retrospective study. This population-based case-control study included 200 MS cases and 2 control groups of 200 patients and healthy individuals each. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews, medical file reviews, and an electronic checklist. Multivariable analysis was used to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals to estimate the risk of each medical history on MS occurrences. Of 600 participants, 381 (63.5%) individuals were female. The mean age of the participants was 36.5 ±â€…11.9 years. The adjusted risks of MS were 4.40; 95% CI: 1.73 to 11.1 for measles and 4.75; 95% CI: 2.05 to 11 for amoxicillin consumption. The adjusted MS odds for autoimmune disease including 4.63; 95% CI: 0.35 to 60.6 for psoriasis and 7.15; 95% CI: 1.87 to 27.2 for myasthenia gravis. On the other hand, the calculated adjusted odds of MS occurrence were 0.14; 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.69 for seizure and 0.17; 95% CI: 0.02 to 1.49 for epilepsy. This study suggested that individuals with autoimmune diseases should be monitored more closely, as they may be at an increased risk of developing other autoimmune conditions, particularly MS.

Factors associated with the number of months of delaying in multiple sclerosis diagnosis: Comparison of count regression models.

Background: It may take a long time to diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS) since the emergence of primary symptoms. This study aimed to use count regression models to compare their fit and to identify factors affecting delay in the diagnosis of MS. Methods: Data were collected from the Nationwide MS Registry of Iran (NMSRI) for Mazandaran Province, Iran, using census sampling until April 2022. The four models of Poisson regression, negative binomial (NB) regression, zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) regression, and zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) regression were used in this study. Results: In this study on 2894 patients, 74.0% were women, and 8.5% had a family history of MS. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) of the patients' age was 34.96 ± 9.41 years, and the mean delay in diagnosis was 12.32 ± 33.26 months, with a median of 0 (Q1-Q3: 0-9). The NB regression model showed the best performance, and factors, including a history of hospitalization and the year of symptom onset, had significant effects on a delayed diagnosis. Besides, the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score was significantly different before and after 2017; it was also associated with sex, type of MS, and history of hospitalization. Conclusion: The mean diagnostic delay and the mean age of MS diagnosis are critical in Mazandaran Province. Patients with MS develop the disease at an early age and are diagnosed with a long delay. The time of symptom onset is a significant factor in the diagnosis of MS, and in recent years, there have been improvements in the diagnostic process.

Effect of vitamin A on recovery from the acute phase of multiple sclerosis-related optic neuritis, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Optic neuritis (ON) is one of the main neuro-ophthalmic presentations of multiple sclerosis (MS), and it causes optic nerve atrophy and axonal loss. However, so far, there is no effective treatment to improve long-term outcomes. Methods: In a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial, 50 patients with MS-related ON were allocated into two arms (24 in the control group and 26 in the intervention group) receiving either 25000IU retinyl palmitate or an identical placebo for six months. Visual evoked potential (VEP), visual acuity, and the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness were evaluated and compared before and after the treatment. Results: RNFL thickness reduction in the affected eyes at sixth month compared to the baseline were 14.81 and 19.46 µm, in the intervention and control groups, respectively (P=0.017). However, VitA therapy did not affect visual acuity and VEP. Conclusion: Vitamin A supplementation in the patients with acute ON in MS could lessen optic nerve axonal loss.

Economic and Social Standing of Individuals in Iran Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) may be affected by socioeconomic status (SES). This study aims to explore the determinants of SES among Iranian patients with MS and examine how these factors relate to disability and disease progression. METHODS: All patients with MS listed in the nationwide MS registry of Iran (NMSRI) until January 8, 2022, were included in this population-based study. RESULTS: Among the 5153 patients, most were female (74.5%), married (70.8%), and did not hold an academic degree (53.8%). Unemployment (OR: 3.75) and being unmarried (OR: 2.60) were significantly associated with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)≥6, and the time to progression was shorter in the unemployed group (P value: 0.03). There was also a significant negative correlation between the time to progression and the age at disease onset. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that providing financial and social support to MS patients and their families through investment could reduce both individual and societal burdens.