Eteedal Ahmed A Ibrahim*, Alsadig Gassoum, Sawsan AH Aldeaf, Marwa Osman Ahmed and Shadin Hashim Altom Ahmed
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immunemediated inflammatory disease that attacks myelinated axons in the central nervous system leading to significant disability. Worldwide, approximately 2.1 million peoples around the world are affected by MS. MS is often recognizable clinically by different patterns: relapsing and remitting, MS (80-90%) primary progressive MS (10-20%) secondary progressive MS.
Objectives: To study the patterns of clinical presentation of MS in Sudanese patients.
Methods: This study is descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at the national center for neurological sciences (NCNS), Khartoum Sudan, conducted for 3 years period from August 2015 to April 2018. The diagnosis was done based on Poser & Mackdonalds criteria two or more clinical attacks with Objective clinical evidence in examination of 2 or more lesions, in patients with two or more attacks with objective clinical evidence of 1 lesion dissemination in space demonstrated by MRI. Sixty-five patients were enrolled. Data was collected using Questionnaire. The diagnosis was confirmed by MRI brain with sagittal FLAIR&MRI cervical spine, serum & CSF oligoclonal band.
Results: Females were (90.8%) the majority of them 25 (38.4%) were within the age group from 21-30 years, most of the patients 62 (95.4%) had no family history, 18 patients (27.6%) had decreased visual acuity 13 patients (20%) had ataxia, 33 patients (50.7%) had past history of similar condition, most of the patients 40 (64.6%) had more than two lesions detectable in their brain MRI, 12 (18.4%) patients were examined for CSF analysis, Oligoclonal band was found in all of them.
Conclusion: Females predominated in 91% of the patients, the most affected age group was ranging between 21-30 years. Relapsing Remitting type was predominating. Oligo-clonal band was detected in all of the patients. Azathioprine was found to be very effective.
