11. 2006 2008 2011 2014 2017
Still fits but
infrequent
Progressive
Cognitive
impairment
Left sided
weakness
Rituximab
30th May
Fever
DCL
29th June
Timeline
12. Which type of MS ??
Aggressive
Malignant Fulminant
Highly
active
RRMS --------------------------------------- SPMS
13. Sunny OR Stormy ?
13
GOOD EPIDEIOLOGICAL
FACTORS
BAD
Female Sex Male
< 40 y Age > 40 y
14. Sunny OR Stormy ?
14
GOOD RELAPSES BAD
Mild, monofocal 1st relapse Severe , multifocal
Sensory, ON Clinical presentation Motor, cerebellar
Full recovery Response to ttt Residual
Long Time to 2nd relapse Short
Low Relapse rate High
15. Sunny OR Stormy ?
15
GOOD DISABILITY BAD
Long Time to EDSS 4-5 Short
GOOD MRI BAD
Low Lesion load High
Absent CEL Present
21. Malignant (fulminant) MS
• Forms of MS that deteriorate so
rapidly and progressively from the
beginning that they are almost
monophasic illnesses and can result
in death within a very short time
Otto Marburg
(1874 –1948)
22.
23. Malignant MS
• Multiple sclerosis (MS) that causes patients to
require assistance for ambulation (EDSS 6)
within 5 years from symptom onset is
generally termed malignant.
• Malignant status can be transient (TM) or
sustained until year 5 (SM).
Gholipour T, Healy B, & Baruch NF, et al. Demographic and clinical characteristics of malignant multiple sclerosis. Neurology 2011;76(23):1996–2001
24. TM OR SM ?
24
TM SM
Brain stem Male
Younger age Older age
Smoking
Gholipour T, Healy B, & Baruch NF, et al. Demographic and clinical characteristics of malignant multiple sclerosis. Neurology 2011;76(23):1996–2001
Malignant MS
26. The following criteria for diagnosing AOMS:
1) two or more relapses in the year after onset and two or
more gadolinium-enhancing lesions on brain MRI scan; or
2) one relapse if it results in sustained baseline EDSS score of 3
along with two or more gadolinium-enhancing lesions.
Aggressive onset MS
27. Highly active MS
• EDSS score of 4.0 within 5 years of onset
• Poor response to at least 1 full year of therapy
with one or more disease-modifying therapies,
not because of intolerance
• Breakthrough disease over at least 1 year of
disease-modifying therapy consisting of:
– Two or more disabling relapses with incomplete
resolution
– Two or more MRI studies showing new or enlarging T2
lesions or gadolinium-enhancing lesions
Freedman et al., 2016
29. Timing of the therapy key to preventing
disability
Time (Years)
Relapsing Remitting Multiple sclerosis Transitional Secondary Progressive MSCISPre-
Clinical
Demyelination
Remission
State of no disease
activity, the period
during which
diminution of
symptoms occurs
due to the
cessation of
inflammatory
processes and
some degree of
reparative
remyelination of
affected axons
Relapses
Acute
Inflammation
Demyelination
First
Clinical
Attack
Axonal loss
Inflammation
Brain
Volume
MRI Activity
Disability
progression
Reflects reactive
astrogliosis, Axonal
Loss and Brain
volume loss.
Starts Reversible
(remyelination) and
ends in permanent
disability
Time window for
early treatment
Mark S. Freedman: Induction vs. escalation of therapy for relapsing Multiple Sclerosis: the evidence, Neurol Sci (2008) 29:S250–S252
30. Timing of the therapy key to preventing
disability
Time (Years)
Relapsing Remitting Multiple sclerosis Transitional Secondary Progressive MSCISPre-
Clinical
Demyelination
Axonal loss
Inflammation
Brain
Volume
MRI Activity
Time
window for
early
treatment
Mark S. Freedman: Induction vs. escalation of therapy for relapsing Multiple Sclerosis: the evidence, Neurol Sci (2008) 29:S250–S252
Aggressive
MS
37. Conclusions
• To date, aggressive multiple sclerosis has no
uniform definition.
• Multiple sclerosis has several well-known clinical
and MRI factors for poor prognosis.
• Effectively treating multiple sclerosis early
preserves central nervous system reserve for
aging later in life.
• Patients with aggressive MS have a narrower
therapeutic window.
• Aggressive multiple sclerosis warrants aggressive
treatment.