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A large study of multiple sclerosis patients (MS) came to the conclusion that clinical and brain imaging assessments drawn from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are poor measures of long-term prognosis for patients.
The study, “Long-term evolution of multiple sclerosis disability in the treatment era,” published in the journal Annals of Neurology, also showed that a lack of disease activity in the immediate years following disease onset does not predict later outcomes, and questions the use of yearly MRI assessments and whether aggressive early treatment to halt disease activity can actually ensure lower disability over time.
Researchers at the University of California San Francisco followed 517 MS patients over time. The vast majority (91%) were followed for up to 1o years. The team wanted to determine if brain scans and clinical assessments could be used to set a prognosis of disability development.
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