Abstract
BACKGROUND: Reports in Asian populations suggest that ethnic and geographical differences may influence susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS) and its clinical behaviors. Here, we sought to retrospectively survey clinical characteristics and MRI data in Chinese subjects with MS. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis in 117 patients with MS. The patients were divided into subgroups with optic-spinal form of multiple sclerosis (OSMS; n = 42) and classical multiple sclerosis (CMS; n = 75). Clinical characteristics, MRI finding and expanded disability status scale (EDSS) score were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: In 117 MS patients, 64.1% patients were classified as having CMS and 35.9% OSMS forms. White blood cell counts of OSMS patients were significantly higher than those of CMS patients (P <0.05). The longitudinal fusion lesions of spinal cord on MRI were statistically significant between groups (P <0.05). Spinal cord MRI showed that MS lesions were longer, and revealed spinal cord swelling in patients with CMS, but atrophy in patients with OSMS. The EDSS score at five years was significantly higher in patients with OSMS than in those with CMS (P <0.05). Relapse rates of patients with OSMS were also higher than those of patients with CMS (P <0.01) within one to three years. CONCLUSIONS: OSMS accounts for a higher proportion of MS populations in Northern China than in Western countries. MRI showed a longitudinally extensive spinal cord lesion in patients with OSMS and spinal cord swelling at onset.