Characteristics and predictors of progression in an Egyptian multiple sclerosis cohort: a multicenter registry study

• Published in: Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment Vol. 13; pp. 1895 - 1903
• Main Authors: Hamdy, Sherif M, Abdel-Naseer, Maged, Shalaby, Nevin M, Elmazny, Alaa N, Nemr, Ahmed A, Hassan, Amr, Hegazy, Mohamed I, Mourad, Husam S, Kishk, Nirmeen A, Nada, Mona A, Abdelalim, Ahmed, Fouad, Amr M, Shehata, Hatem S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 2017; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Aquaporins; Confidentiality; Development and progression; Egypt; Epidemiology; Immunoglobulins; Laboratories; Medical records; Middle East; MS registry; Multiple sclerosis; NMR; North Africa; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Onsite; Original Research; Patients; Prevalence studies (Epidemiology); Risk factors; Studies; Egypt; Cairo Egypt; Middle East; epidemiology; North Africa; MS registry; multiple sclerosis; Egypt
• ISSN: 1176-6328; 1178-2021; 1178-2021
• DOI: 10.2147/NDT.S140869

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex autoimmune disease with a heterogeneous presentation and diverse disease course. Recent studies indicate a rising prevalence of MS in the Middle East.
To characterize the demographics and disease features of Egyptian patients attending four tertiary referral MS centers in Cairo.
This was a retrospective, observational study on 1,581 patients between 2001 and 2015. Medical records were reviewed and data were identified and extracted in a standardized electronic registry.
The mean age of disease onset was 26.6±7.8 years, with the majority being female (2.11:1). Relapsing-remitting MS was the most common type (75.1%). The main presenting symptom was motor weakness (43.9%), which was also the most frequent symptom during the disease course. Family history of MS was found in 2.28%. Higher initial Expanded Disability Status Scale score, black holes, and infratentorial lesions on initial magnetic resonance imaging were independent factors for disease progression by univariate analysis (OR 3.87 [95% CI 1.84-6.51], 4.14 [95% CI 3.08-5.58], 4.07 [95% CI 3.21-4.99], respectively); however, in multivariate analysis, only infratentorial lesions were an independent risk for disease progression (OR 6, 95% CI 2.99-12.02;
=0.0005).
The results from this registry - the largest for MS in the Arab region to date - are comparable to other registries with slight differences.