Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Sep;63(9):1059-1065.
doi: 10.1111/dmcn.14912. Epub 2021 May 3.

Long-term trajectory of acquired demyelinating syndrome and multiple sclerosis in children

Anna Eusebi  1 , Pietro Zara  1 , Ignazio Roberto Zarbo  2 , Silvia Festa  1 , Veronica Dessì  1 , Valentina Pes  1 , Francesca Salis  1 , Giovanni Sotgiu  3 , Alessandra Carta  1 , Stefano Sotgiu  1
Affiliations
Free article

Long-term trajectory of acquired demyelinating syndrome and multiple sclerosis in children

Anna Eusebi et al. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2021 Sep.
Free article

Abstract

Aim: We assessed the frequency, characteristics, and future trajectory of monophasic acquired demyelinating syndromes (ADS) associated with conversion to paediatric multiple sclerosis.

Method: This was a retrospective observational study of Sardinian children (<18y of age) with onset of ADS between 2001 and 2018.

Results: We identified 44 children with ADS (21 males, 23 females; median age at onset 16y, range 4mo-18y), 21 of whom were already presenting with criteria for paediatric multiple sclerosis. The mean crude prevalence of ADS in Sardinian children was 59.2 per 100 000, while incidence was 3.1 per 100 000 per year (1.3 in children aged ≤10y and 11.9 in those aged 10-17y). After a mean (SD) follow-up of 8 years 5 months (5y 4mo), the most common (n=32) trajectory was conversion to paediatric multiple sclerosis. At onset, the total prevalence and mean annual incidence of paediatric multiple sclerosis were 35.6 per 100 000 and 2.3 per 100 000 respectively (0.5 in individuals aged ≤10y, 10.0 in the older group).

Interpretation: Sardinia is a very high risk area for ADS in children. Nearly half of this population can already be diagnosed with paediatric multiple sclerosis at onset. Overall, 72% of those with ADS will have paediatric multiple sclerosis after a mean of 8 years. What this paper adds Sardinia is a very high risk area for paediatric acquired demyelinating syndromes (ADS). A high proportion of those with paediatric multiple sclerosis are diagnosed at onset of ADS. After an average 8 years from onset of paediatric ADS, three-quarters of patients are diagnosed with paediatric multiple sclerosis.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

REFERENCES

    1. Banwell B, Kennedy J, Sadovnick D, et al. Incidence of acquired demyelination of the CNS in Canadian children. Neurology 2009; 72: 232-9.
    1. Boesen MS, Magyari M, Koch-Henriksen N, et al. Pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis and other acquired demyelinating syndromes of the central nervous system in Denmark during 1977-2015: a nationwide population-based incidence study. Mult Scler J 2018; 24: 1077-86.
    1. Wingerchuk DM, Banwell B, Bennett JL, et al. International Panel for NMO Diagnosis. International consensus diagnostic criteria for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders. Neurology 2015; 85: 177-89.
    1. Hacohen Y, Wong YY, Lechner C, et al. Disease course and treatment responses in children with relapsing myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease. JAMA Neurol 2018; 75: 478-87.
    1. Polman CH, Reingold SC, Banwell B, et al. Diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis: 2010 revisions to the McDonald criteria. Ann Neurol 2011; 69: 292-302.

LinkOut - more resources