New MS Testing Model Can Predict If Disease Will Intensify in Patients

A new study published in the journal Statistical Methods in Medical Research revealed a new method to determine the disease course in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The study is entitled “Joint assessment of dependent discrete disease state processes” and was conducted by researchers at the Brigham Young University, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital.

MS is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder that results from an attack on the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord and optical nerves) by the body’s own immune system, causing inflammation and damage to the myelin layer that covers and protects neurons resulting in motor function impairment (coordination, balance, speech and vision), irreversible neurological disability and paralysis. Most MS patients experience their first symptoms between 20 and 40 years of age and it is estimated that more than 2.3 million people in the world suffer from the disease. There is currently no cure for MS and the disease course is highly unpredictable.

Now, researchers have developed a model capable of predicting whether the disease will intensify. This method relies heavily on each patient’s history, allowing a personalized prediction for each case.

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