Comparing Early- and Late-Onset Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis

Pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) is relatively uncommon and is defined as onset up to age 18 years. Investigators retrospectively compared features and outcomes of early POMS (onset before age 11 years) and late POMS (onset at age 11 years or older) in 1993 pediatric MS patients, 172 of them with early onset. Mean disease duration at last follow-up was 18 years.

Disease-modifying therapy was used by 94% of patients at some point. Of the early POMS group, 43% were male, compared with 31% of the late POMS group. Early POMS more frequently involved isolated brainstem symptoms, less frequently optic neuritis, and less frequently corticospinal tract involvement at onset. Patients with early POMS had a longer time to first relapse (5.1 vs…