A clinical and laboratory study of benign multiple sclerosis

Alan J. Thompson, M. Hutchinson, J. Brazil, C. Feighery, E. A. Martin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

84 Scopus citations

Abstract

In a hospital-based study of 400 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), 42 per cent of patients who had had MS for 10 years or more had benign disease. Early age of onset and a long first remission were significantly associated with a good prognosis. There was a suggestion that initial presentation with paraesthesiae and possibly optic neuritis were associated with a benign prognosis, but the only significant finding was the association between limb weakness and a poor outcome P<0.05). Fewer patients with benign disease had a progressive element to their disease than those in the more disabled group (p<0.001). The only laboratory test which was associated with a benign prognosis was the absence of CSF myelin basic protein in remission. Abnormalities of visual evoked responses, CSF IgG and peripheral blood T lymphocytes appeared to have no value in assessing prognosis in the patients studied.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)69-80
Number of pages12
JournalQJM - Monthly Journal of the Association of Physicians
Volume58
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1986
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'A clinical and laboratory study of benign multiple sclerosis'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this