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. 2013 Jan;28(1):102-7.
doi: 10.1177/0883073812464816. Epub 2012 Nov 15.

Cognitive impairment occurs in children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis: results from a United States network

Laura Julian  1 , Dana Serafin, Leigh Charvet, Joseph Ackerson, Ralph Benedict, Ellen Braaten, Tanya Brown, Ellen O'Donnell, Joy Parrish, Thomas Preston, Michael Zaccariello, Anita Belman, Tanuja Chitnis, Mark Gorman, Jayne Ness, Marc Patterson, Moses Rodriguez, Emmanuelle Waubant, Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, Ann Yeh, Lauren B Krupp; Network of Pediatric MS Centers of Excellence
Affiliations

Cognitive impairment occurs in children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis: results from a United States network

Laura Julian et al. J Child Neurol. 2013 Jan.

Abstract

In the largest sample studied to date, we measured cognitive functioning in children and adolescents with pediatric multiple sclerosis (n = 187) as well as those with clinically isolated syndrome (n = 44). Participants were consecutively enrolled from six United States Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Centers of Excellence. Participants had a mean of 14.8 ± 2.6 years of age and an average disease duration of 1.9 ± 2.2 years. A total of 65 (35%) children with multiple sclerosis and 8 (18%) with clinically isolated syndrome met criteria for cognitive impairment. The most frequent areas involved were fine motor coordination (54%), visuomotor integration (50%), and speeded information processing (35%). A diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (odds ratio = 3.60, confidence interval = 1.07, 12.36, P = .04) and overall neurologic disability (odds ratio = 1.47, confidence interval = 1.10, 2.10, P = .03) were the only independent predictors of cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment may occur early in these patients, and prompt recognition is critical for their care.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: LJ is currently employed by Genentech. RHBB has served as a consultant for Actelion, Biogen Idec, Bayer, and Novartis; received grant/research support from Accorda, Biogen Idec, and Shire; and also receives royalties from Psychological Assessment Resources. TC has served as a consultant for Biogen-Idec, Sanofi Aventis, Novartis, EMD-Serono, and Teva Neurosciences, and has received grant support from Merck-Serono for unrelated activities. MG has research funding from NIH and Actelion. He has done consulting for Actelion, Shire HGT and Orphazyme and DMSB for Stem cells, Inc; Amicus and Shire HGT. EWhas acted as an advisor/consultant/advisory board member or speaker for Actelion, Roche, Sanofi Aventis, and Teva, and has received research support from Biogen Idec, Roche, and Sanofi-Aventis. BWG has participated in speakers bureaus and served as a consultant for Biogen Idec, Teva Neurosciences, EMD Serono, Pfizer, Novartis, Genzyme, and Acorda; excluding Genzyme, she also has received grant/research support from the agencies listed above as well as ITN, Questcor, and Shire. LBK serves as a consultant and/or on the speakers’ bureau for Teva Neurosciences, Biogen Idec, EMD Serono,MEDA Corp, Acorda, Betaseron/Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, Gerson Lehrman Group, Guidepoint Global, Adler, Cohen, Harvey, Wakeman & Guekguezian, and Daniel J. Edelman; receives royalties from Genzyme, Zymogenetics, Ortho-McNeill Pharmaceutical, and ER Squibb & Sons; and receives research support from Genentech, BiogenIdec, Teva Neurosciences, Celgene Corporation, Garnett McKeen Laboratory Incorporated, NIH, Slomo and Cindy Silvian Foundation, MS Foundation, and the Lourie Foundation. Rest of the authors report no disclosures.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Bivariate Analyses: Cognitive Impairment Increases with Neurologic Disability
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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