NeuroSci
Association of Diagnosis Age with Clinical Characteristics and MRI Findings in Multiple Sclerosis
By Omid Mirmosayyeb, Sepehr Aghajanian, Fateme Mohammadifard and 2 others.
Abstract
Background
Age at multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis may be associated with clinical course, inflammatory activity, and disability accrual, but evidence across the full age spectrum remains limited. We compared clinical and radiological features, phenotype distribution, and time to first post-diagnosis relapse across early-onset MS (EOMS), adult-onset MS (AOMS), and late-onset MS (LOMS).
Methods
This observational study included patients with MS treated at two tertiary centers in Isfahan, Iran, combining a retrospective review of clinical records with a cross-sectional assessment at the most recent study visit. Patients were categorized as EOMS (MS diagnosis at ≤18 years), AOMS, or LOMS (diagnosis at or after 50 years) according to age at diagnosis. Demographic, clinical, MRI, and comorbidity data were compared across groups. Time to first post-diagnosis relapse was analyzed in RRMS using Cox regression, and continuous age effects were explored with spline models.