Highlights
- •Several differences characterize paediatric (POMS) compared to adult onset MS (AOMS).
- •Radiological characteristics are among the aspects that differentiating POMS from AOMS.
- •We found significant reduction in brain volumes in POMS compared to AOMS and healthy controls.
- •This feature appears to be independent from disease duration and other features.
Abstract
Background
Paediatric onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) is associated with reduced brain and deep
grey matter volume in comparison with that in healthy controls and individuals with
adult onset multiple sclerosis (AOMS). The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact
of POMS on adult brain volume with adjustment for other parameters, such as disease
duration.
Patients and methods
We recruited 20 POMS and 40 AOMS patients and 20 healthy controls matched for age
and sex. All study participants were adults at the time of inclusion in the study.
All study subjects underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate whole
brain, white matter, grey matter, cortical, and deep grey matter volumes. Clinical
features, such as the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score and disease duration,
were also assessed.
Results
Brain (p = 0.01), grey matter (p = 0.01), and deep grey matter volume (p = 0.03) was
significantly lower in POMS patients than in AOMS patients, while no differences were
detected in the volume of white matter or cortical grey matter. A multiple linear
regression analysis showed a relationship between brain volume (dependent variable)
and the independent variables age (p < 0.000) and paediatric onset (p < 0.001), while
other independent variables, including disease duration, sex, and disability, were
not significantly different among groups. There were significant differences in thalamic
volume among POMS and AOMS patients and healthy controls.
Conclusion
Our data support the previous findings that POMS patients have reduced brain and deep
grey matter volume, particularly thalamic volume, compared with sex- and age-matched
AOMS patients and healthy controls. These findings appear to be independent of disease
duration and other clinical features.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 06, 2018
Accepted:
March 1,
2018
Received in revised form:
February 22,
2018
Received:
January 16,
2018
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
