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Multiple Sclerosis, Vol. 12, No. 6, 775-781 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/1352458506070923
© 2006 SAGE Publications

Phenotype and prognosis in African-Americans with multiple sclerosis: a retrospective chart review

R T Naismith

Department of Neurology, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, USA, naismithr{at}wustl.edu

K Trinkaus

Division of Biostatistics, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, USA

A H Cross

Department of Neurology, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, USA

Context There is an emerging body of literature regarding multiple sclerosis (MS) in African-Americans (AA) that suggests more rapid progression and a worse prognosis in this group. A phenotype of opticospinal MS has been proposed by some publications.

Objective To determine whether AA with MS have a different clinical phenotype, different distribution of clinical subtypes, and/or different levels of disability than Caucasians (CA) with MS. Specifically, is the disability attributable to severe cerebellar disease, which limits ambulation and function? Design: Retrospective chart analyses of a patient cohort from an academic MS center.

Patients A total of 86 AA were identified with MS, 79 were followed for ≥5 years. The control group consisted of 80 randomly-selected CA with MS and similar follow-up.

Outcome measures EDSS at diagnosis, five-year follow-up, and last follow-up; time to walking assistance device; disease subtype; involved functional systems.

Results AA MS patients displayed more cerebellar dysfunction, and worse EDSS scores at diagnosis, at four to six years follow-up from diagnosis, and at last follow-up compared to the CA MS patients with similar length of follow-up. AA MS patients had earlier and more frequent gait difficulty requiring use of a cane or wheelchair. AA MS patients had a higher prevalence of primary progressive (PP) MS (22 versus 9%) and a lower rate of relapsing-remitting (RR) MS (30 versus 52%) compared to CA.

Conclusions Compared to CA patients, MS in AA is characterized by a higher incidence of cerebellar dysfunction and a more rapid accumulation of disabilities. In this cohort, AA patients had a relatively higher rate of the PPMS subtype. These data suggest the presence of fundamental differences in the clinical phenotype and the natural history of MS in AA.

Key Words: African-American • cerebellar • ethnicity • multiple sclerosis • prognosis

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