I will try to mentione a few important for those who are sitting for MRCP soon.
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune demyelinating disease affecting the central nervous system-brain and the spinal cord.
Since Mutiple Sclerosis ( MS) can affect any part in the central nervous system, patients with MS can present in diverse ways. However, 2 clincal syndromes that are popular in MRCP is acute transverse myelitis and Optic neuritis.
Patients with acute transverse myelitis usually have acute paralysis of lower limbs with sensory level ( upper motor neuron signs) with or without autonomic symptoms- urinary/bowel incontinence.
For patients with Optic neuritis, usually one eye is involved and patients may get blurring of vision or even visual loss!
For you to diagnose MS, you can follow the Poser criteria. You can click here to learn more. For you, I think you need to remember only this - you need 2 sites ( central nervous system) involvement at 2 different times ( 2 attacks) to make the diagnosis.
MRI is always helpful in making the diagnosis.
As for the treatment, I think you just need to remember one of them is interferon!
