Gauthier et al. Rate of brain atrophy in benign vs early multiple sclerosis. Arch Neurol. 2009 Feb;66(2):234-7.
BACKGROUND: Benign MS is defined by minimal or no disability after many years of observation, therefore a less degenerative disease process is suspected to be present in this subset of patients.
OBJECTIVE: To compare brain atrophy rates in patients with long-standing benign MS vs typical early MS.
PATIENTS: 39 MS'ers with clinically defined benign MS and an age-matched group of 40 MS'ers with early RRMS.
RESULTS: The mean (SD) annualized brain atrophy rate in MS'ers with benign MS (-0.16% [0.51%]) was lower than that in patients with early MS (-0.46% [0.72%]) (P = .02). The difference remained significant after controlling for age, sex, and treatment (P = .04).
CONCLUSIONS: Serial magnetic resonance imaging revealed a low 2-year rate of brain atrophy in MS'ers with clinically benign MS, suggesting a less prominent degenerative component in its pathogenesis than in patients with typical early MS. Identification of patients with a low rate of brain atrophy may indicate a benign course.