Disability and prognosis of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis, is it different in Iraqi patients?

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prognostic factors of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RR-MS) in Iraqi patients.

METHODS: This retrospective study of patients with RR-MS was carried out at the MS Clinic in Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq between March 2008 and January 2010. Patients history and extended disability status scale scores were reviewed using the clinic database.

RESULTS: Five hundred patients (270 female, and 230 male) fulfilled the McDonald criteria for RR-MS, their mean age was 45.58 years. Mono symptoms were found in 70% of patients. Hemiplegia (48%) was the most common clinical feature followed by optic neuritis (24%). Poor prognostic indicators were older age at onset, pyramidal and sphincter involvement at the beginning of the illness, and more relapses in the first 2 years of the illness. There were no significant effects of gender or symptom type as prognostic indicators on the residual disability of the studied patient.

CONCLUSION: Older age at onset, pyramidal and sphincter involvement at the beginning of the illness, and more relapses in the first 2 years of the illness were poor prognostic indicators.