Medicina (Dec 2022)

Progression of Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis despite the new era of treatments

  • Gutemberg Augusto Cruz dos Santos,
  • Gabriel Etienne Brito de Salles,
  • Milenna Grisoli Martins da Silva,
  • Roxanne Cabral Pinto Santos

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 55, no. 4

Abstract

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Objective. The present study aims to evaluate the conditions associated with the progression of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and patients' dysfunctions. Methods. We perform a retrospective longitudinal analytical observational study in 46 patients with MS from a polyclinic at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We used the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) to rank the patients according to their disability and establish correlation with risk factors, treatment and time of disease. Results. Of 46 patients, 69.6% were female and 67.4% were white. Patients with fewer functional systems affected at the beginning of the disease had a longer time for disease progression, according to EDSS. Low efficacy drugs led to a high rate of discontinuation of the treatment. Patients who used a continuously treatment took longer to reach higher EDSS values ​​than those who discontinued treatment. Conclusion. Despite the control of MS with high effective drugs, there is still some disability for the patient. The factors that influenced the progression of the disability were: multiple symptoms at the beginning of the disease, more than 30 years old at the beginning of the MS, delay in diagnosis and initiation of treatment, among others.

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