Predictors of Long-Term Disability in Multiple Sclerosis

The MSBase registry is an international collaboration with data from more than 35,000 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Investigators evaluated 2466 of these patients who were prescribed interferon or glatiramer acetate as first-line disease-modifying treatment for relapsing MS and who had expanded disability status scale (EDSS) scores within 12 months of starting the treatment and again about 10 years later.

During the 10 years, the annualized relapse rate (ARR) was 0.36 and EDSS scores increased a median 1.0 steps. There were 39 deaths after follow-up. Drug discontinuations occurred in 58% at a median 4 years and drug switches in 38%; 19% of follow-up was spent untreated.

Predictors of disability included older age at onset, longer disease …