Patient characteristics
| Multiple sclerosis (n=35) | Other ADS (n=47) | p Value | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women/men | 20/15 | 30/17 | NS | ||
| Age at onset | |||||
| Mean, SD | 14.7±2.8 | 7.5±4.8 | p<0.001 | ||
| Range | 5.3–17.7 | 1.0–16.7 | |||
| Median | 15.5 | 6.2 | |||
| Type of onset (%) | p<0.001 | ||||
| Optic neuritis | 6 (17.1%) | 10 (21.3%) | |||
| Transverse myelitis | 1 (2.9%) | 2 (4.3%) | |||
| Other monofocal CIS | 12 (34.3%) | 2 (4.3%) | |||
| Polyfocal CIS | 16 (45.7%) | 13 (27.7%) | |||
| ADEM | – | 20 (42.6%) | |||
| CSF analysis performed (%) | 31 (88.6%) | 45 (95.7%) | NS | ||
| Positive CSF (valid %)* | 26 (83.9%) | 8 (17.8%) | p<0.001 | ||
| Follow-up time, months (mean, SD) | 32±17 | 38±12 | NS | ||
| Final diagnosis according to the 2007 and 2012 consensus definitions | CDMS | 30 | CIS | 22 | |
| Definite MS based on | 5 | ADEM | 19 | ||
| MRI evidence | NMO | 4 | |||
| Other relapsing ADS | 2 | ||||
*CSF positivity is defined by either the presence of oligloclonal bands or an elevated IgG index.10
ADEM, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis; ADS, acquired demyelinating syndromes; CDMS, clinical definite multiple sclerosis; CIS, clinically isolated syndrome; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; MS, multiple sclerosis; NMO, neuromyelitis optica; NS, non-significant.