Late-onset multiple sclerosis in Iran: A report on demographic and disease characteristics.
Mult Scler Relat Disord 2023;
70:104493. [PMID:
36638768 DOI:
10.1016/j.msard.2022.104493]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Today, it is estimated that around 5% of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are in the late-onset category (age at disease onset ≥ 50). Diagnosis and treatment in this group could be challenging. Here, we report the latest update on the characteristics of Iranian patients with late-onset MS (LOMS).
METHODS
This cross-sectional study used the information provided by the nationwide MS registry of Iran (NMSRI). The registrars from 14 provinces entered data of patients with a confirmed diagnosis of MS by neurologists. Patients with disease onset at or later than 50 years of age were considered LOMS.
RESULTS
Of 20,036 records, the late-onset category included 321 patients (1.6%). The age-standardized LOMS prevalence was around 75 per 100,000 people. 215 patients (67%) were female. Median Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was 3 (interquartile range: 1.5-5). The majority of the cases (56%) suffered from relapsing-remitting (RR) course while 20% were diagnosed with primary progressive (PP) MS. Significantly higher proportion of male sex, PPMS, and higher EDSS were seen in the late-onset group compared with early-onset and adult-onset cases (p-value < 0.05). Seventy-five (23%) patients did not receive any disease-modifying treatment.
DISCUSSION
The more prominent degenerative pathology of LOMS may be the underlying mechanism of the observed differences in comparison to non-LOMS.
CONCLUSION
There are substantial differences and knowledge gaps regarding LOMS which could be the subject of further research.
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