[Optic neuritis, brain stem syndromes and myelitis: rapid conversion to multiple sclerosis].

BACKGROUND

To establish the early risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) following isolated demyelinating syndromes.

PATIENTS AND METHOD: 36 patients with optic neuritis, 24 with brainstem syndromes, 27 with spinal cord syndromes and 8 patients with a poliregional syndrome were included in a prospective protocol: including clinical data, immunological determinations, oligoclonal bands, visual, somestesic and brainstem evoked potentials and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study.

RESULTS

MRI showed the presence of signal abnormalities in 70% of the patients. The conversion rate (CR) was 18.5%. In patients with a normal MRI, CR was 4% compared to 26% in patients with an abnormal MRI (p = 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The early conversion rate to MS is significantly increased when MRI is abnormal.