Table 1

Demographics, clinical and MRI characteristics of patients at 15 years follow-up from the first demyelinating event

Patients
N=94
Age at 15-year follow-up (years) (mean, SD)47.8 (7.8)
EDSS (median, IQR)1.50 (1.0–3.0)
Number of female patients65 (69%)
Length of follow-up (years) (median, IQR)14.29 (12.9–16.9)
Clinical characteristics
 Patients with optic neuritis at onset78 (83%)
 Patients developed optic neuritis during follow-up3 (3%)
 Patients with clinically unilateral optic neuritis61 (65%)
 Patients with clinically bilateral optic neuritis*20 (21%)
 Patients who did not develop optic neuritis in either eye at follow-up13 (14%)
 Subclinical optic neuritis eyes10 (5.3%)
 Total optic neuritis eyes at follow-up111 (59%)
 Total unaffected eyes at follow-up77 (41%)
Diagnosis at follow-up
 CIS18 (19%)
 RRMS63 (67%)
 SPMS13 (14%)
 Diagnosis other than MS0 (0%)
 Time to CDMS† (months)29.4 (7.47–54.47)
 On DMT at follow-up ‡23 (24%)
Brain MRI
 T2 lesion volume (median, IQR)3.97 mL (0.94–14.22)
 Brain parenchymal fraction (mean, SD)0.75 (0.043)
 Grey matter fraction (mean, SD)0.46 (0.030)
 White matter fraction (mean, SD)0.28 (0.022)
  • *Bilateral optic neuritis denotes patients with a history of optic neuritis in both eyes at any point in time (not simultaneous or bilateral sequential).

  • †Clinically definite multiple sclerosis (CDMS).

  • ‡ Disease modifying therapy (DMT)

  • CIS, clinically isolated syndrome; EDSS, Expanded Disability Status Scale; MS, multiple sclerosis ; RRMS, relapsing-remitting MS ; SPMS, secondary progressive MS.