Prognosis in late-onset MS not always worse

Late-onset multiple sclerosis is not necessarily associated with a worse outcome, according to Canadian researchers. They argue that the disease course has a far greater implication for prognosis.The researchers analysed data from 2,837 patients on the British Colombian MS database. They compared prognosis and prognostic factors (sex, disease course, and onset symptoms) in patients with late-onset MS (LOMS; over 50 years) and adult-onset MS (AOMS; 16 to Disease progression was more rapid in patients with LOMS, with time taken from disease onset to sustained EDSS 6 being a median 16.9 years, compared with 27.7 years in the AOMS group (p<0.0005). However, the researchers note, "...we found that despite the rapid progression in the LOMS group as a whole, those with AOMS were still younger when reaching EDSS 6 (p < 0.005)." Patients with AOMS reached EDSS 6 at a 58.4 (95% CI: 57.1 to 59.6) compared to 71.2 years (95% CI: 65.2 to 77.3) for those with LOMS....