Pediatric Multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is considered as the major cause of acquired neurological insult in young adults and the most common demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). It is an inflammatory disease characterized by multiple areas of demyelination, rupture of the blood-brain barrier and diffused disorder of the white matter. MS is relatively rare in childhood. However, 3-10% of children develop the first episode of MS before the 16^th year of age. Diagnosis of MS in childhood requires clinical and laboratory data, that localize the demyelinating episodes of the CNS, helping to exclude other pathological conditions. The therapeutic options vary and mainly focus on the use of steroids and intravenous immunoglobulins, while recent data suggest the use of interferon. In this review, we present the latest bibliographic data concerning the epidemiological characteristics, the etiology, the clinical course, the available diagnostic methods and the main treatment options of MS.

Keywords

• multiple sclerosis; demyelinating disorders; childhood

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