Multiple Sclerosis, December 2001,
vol. 7, no. 6, pp. 402-404(3)
Tüzün E. [1] *; Akman-Demir
G. [1]; Eraksoy M. [1]
[1] University of Istanbul, Istanbul
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Istanbul, Turkey [*] Correspondence:
E Tüzün, Büyüktur Yolu, Toraman Apt., No:6, D:3 dealtepe,
81580, Istanbul, Turkey.
Abstract:
Paroxysmal attacks are short, frequent
and stereotyped symptoms that can be observed in multiple sclerosis (MS)
patients.
We evaluated retrospectively the
clinical and neuroradiological findings of patients, who developed any
paroxysmal attacks during the course of their disease.
EDSS scores, MS clinical types and
disease durations of 59 patients with paroxysmal attacks (Group 1) were
compared to 586 consecutive patients without paroxysmal attacks recorded
in our MS database (Group 2).
Anatomical and clinical correlation
was attempted in 31 of the patients who had MRI examinations performed
within 6 months of the paroxysmal attacks.
EDSS scores of patients in Group
1 at the time of the paroxysmal attacks were significantly lower than the
scores at their last clinic visit, whereas there were no significant differences
for other parameters.
Our results demonstrate that paroxysmal
attacks occur early in the course of the disease, when there is little
or no neurologic disability and associated tissue damage.
© 2002 ingenta