Predicting progression in primary progressive multiple sclerosis: A 10-year multicenter study.

Rates of progression vary widely in primary progressive multiple sclerosis. This multicenter study aimed to identify predictors of progression over 10 years. A total of 101 patients who had been imaged at baseline and 2 years were scored on the expanded disability status scale after 10 years.

Ordinal logistic regression identified the following independent variables that predicted progression: male sex, shorter disease duration, and slower timed walk test at baseline (best overall predictor), and deterioration in expanded disability status scale score and reduction in brain volume over 2 years.

These predictors of long-term disability provide some insight into disease.

Department of Brain Repair and Rehabilitation,

Institute of Neurology,

University College London,

London, United Kingdom.