Leptomeningeal Contrast Enhancement Is Associated with Disability Progression and Grey Matter Atrophy in Multiple Sclerosis
Table 2
Characteristics of leptomeningeal enhancement in the total cohort.
LMCE-negative subgroup, (59%)
LMCE-positive subgroup, (41%)
value
(%) female
18 (56%)
16 (73%)
0.2615
Median age at MRI, years (IQR)
36.5 (24.25)
44.5 (22)
0.071
Median disease duration, months (IQR)
70.5 (123.05)
111 (156.25)
0.0098
MS phenotype, (%)
(i) Relapsing-remitting
24 (75%)
12 (25%)
(ii) Progressive
8 (45.4%)
10 (54,6%)
0.148
Prevalence of LMCE according to disease duration:
(i) 0–4 y
14 (74%)
5 (26%)
(ii) 5–9 y
9 (60%)
6 (40%)
(iii) 10–19 y
7 (54%)
6 (46%)
(iv) ≥20 y
2 (29%)
5 (71%)
Prevalence of LMCE according to age at onset
(i) Before 19 y
5 (71%)
2 (29%)
(ii) 20–29 y
13 (59%)
9 (41%)
(iii) 30–39 y
6 (67%)
3 (33%)
(iv) 40–49 y
5 (50%)
5 (50%)
(v) ≥50 y
3 (50%)
3 (50%)
Median EDSS (25th, 75th percentile)
3.75 (2.5, 4.5)
4 (3.25, 6.5)
0.039
Median MSSS (25th, 75th percentile)
5.79 (4.32, 7.08)
6.12 (3.62, 6.67)
0.864
Median number of relapses during first year (IQR)
2 (1)
1 (0.75)
0.2362
Median number of relapses during first 5 years (IQR)
2 (1)
2 (1)
0.091
Gd-enhancing T1 white matter lesions, (%)
(i) Present
7 (50%)
7 (50%)
(ii) Absent
25 (62.5%)
15 (37.5%)
0.5306
Median number of T1 Gd-enhancing lesions (IQR)
0 (0)
0 (1)
0.3842
IgG-OCB positive, (%)
24 (88.9%)
13 (92.9%)
>0.9999
Kappa-FLC concentration in CSF, mcg/ml, mean ± SD
0.136
Lambda-FLC concentration in CSF, mcg/ml, mean ± SD
0.4097
LMCE: leptomeningeal contrast enhancement; MRI: magnetic resonance imaging; EDSS: Expanded Disability Status Scale; MSSS: Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score; RRMS: relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis; SPMS: secondary progressive multiple sclerosis; PPMS: primary progressive multiple sclerosis; OCB: IgG oligoclonal bands; FLC: immunoglobulin free light chains; CSF: cerebrospinal fluid; : to compare Fisher’s exact test was used; : OCB LMCE-negative sample size = 27, OCB LMCE-positive sample size = 14; : kappa- and lambda-FLC concentrations: LM CE-negative sample size = 19, LM CE-positive sample size = 8. Data are presented as median with interquartile range (IQR) or as mean and standard deviation (SD) depending on the type of distribution. Significant differences are depicted in bold.
