Predictive value of clinical and MRI parameters for disease progression in multiple sclerosis – a longitudinal retrospective study

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by a relapsing-remitting or chronic progressive course with accumulation of disability. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging parameters predicting disability progression are not well defined. Objective: To identify clinical and MRI factors that can predict the future clinical progression. Methods: We studied all patients with confirmed MS that had received a brain MRI in our MS clinic from 1999 to 2002 and a clinical follow-up 2 and 4 years later (n=82). Standardized clinical parameters were retrieved from the patient files, primary endpoint was the EDSS af…