Disease-Modifying Therapy and Long-Term Disability Outcomes

Inflammatory activity and disease severity vary tremendously between pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS, ≤18 years old), adult-onset MS (AOMS, 18–49 years old), and late-onset MS (LOMS, ≥50 years). Investigators sought to determine the relationship between disease-modifying therapy (DMT) exposure and long-term outcomes across these groups. Outcomes of interest were 12-month confirmed disability worsening and Expanded Disability Status Scale score of 4.0.

This multicenter, retrospective, observational cohort included 9567 patients: 646 with POMS, 8473 with AOMS, and 448 with LOMS. Mean onset age and follow-up duration, respectively, were 15 years old and 12 years for POMS, 31 years old and 11 years for AOMS, and 54 years old and 10 year…