Effect of gender on late-onset multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Women with LOMS have a different trajectory in terms of disease progression than women with AOMS. The effect of menopause combined with race/ethnicity on the MS disease course requires further investigation.

Increased regional gray matter atrophy and enhanced functional connectivity in male multiple sclerosis patients

“…These results confirm those of previous studies which have suggested that males are more prone to MS brain damage [7,8] and/or that they show faster MS progression than females [3,4].…”

“…Although MS onset commences at earlier ages in females than in males [2], once the disease is established, its progression seems faster and results into a higher degree of physical disability in males than in females [3,4].…”

Late onset multiple sclerosis: concerns in aging patients

“…We observed the same frequency of 4.18%, among patients with MS 2,3,4,5,7 ; a female predominance of 2.1:1 1,2,4,7,12,14 , a Caucasian preponderance 12 ; a similar age of onset 2,4,7,11,14 and a higher percentage of the primary progressive form, that reached up to 83% in some descriptions 1,2,4,7,9,11,14,17,21 . Interestingly, very late onset MS (defined as the first symptom at 60 years or above), represented 0.27% of our cohort.…”

“…Therefore, an uncommon form of MS is one in which symptoms start at 50 plus years of age, called late onset multiple sclerosis (LOMS) 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 . It accounts for 1.4% to 9.9% of the MS population in different countries 2,4,5,7,9,10,11,12 . On average, LOMS represents roughly 4.5% of the MS population 2,4,5,7 , it has a female preponderance 1,2,4,7,12 , its initial presentation is monosymptomatic, with a motor or cerebellar symptom, and the most common clinical course is primary progressive 4,13,14 .…”

“…It accounts for 1.4% to 9.9% of the MS population in different countries 2,4,5,7,9,10,11,12 . On average, LOMS represents roughly 4.5% of the MS population 2,4,5,7 , it has a female preponderance 1,2,4,7,12 , its initial presentation is monosymptomatic, with a motor or cerebellar symptom, and the most common clinical course is primary progressive 4,13,14 . The progression to disability in LOMS has previously been attributed to disease duration time 15 , to clinical form 2 , gender 8 , and older age at the time of the patient's first examination 13 .…”