Table 1.
Baseline Epidemiologic Characteristics of the “Relapse” and “Control” Cohorts
| Whole cohort (n = 913) | Relapse cohort (n = 681) | Control cohort (n = 232) | p Value | |
| Age, y, median (IQR) | 54 (52–57) | 54 (52–57) | 54 (52–57) | 0.125a |
| Male patients, n (%) | 301 (33.0) | 230 (33.8) | 71 (30.6) | 0.419b |
| Disease duration since diagnosis, y, median (IQR) | 15 (11–20) | 15 (11–20) | 15 (11–20) | 0.269a |
| Patients with of late-onset MS, n (%) | 66 (7.2) | 46 (6.8) | 20 (8.6) | 0.378b |
| No. of previous DMTs, median (IQR) | 2 (2–3) | 2 (2–3) | 2 (2–3) | 0.080a |
| Baseline EDSS, median (IQR) | 3 (2.5–3.5) | 3 (2.5–3.5) | 3 (2.5–3.5) | 0.130a |
| Baseline MRI available, n (%) | 850 (93.1) | 643 (94.4) | 207 (89.2) | 0.006b |
| New or enlarging T2-lesions in baseline MRI, n (%) | 630 (69.0) | 596 (92.7) | 19 (8.2) | <0.001b |
| DMT at baseline, n (%) | ||||
| None | 144 (15.8) | 122 (17.9) | 22 (9.5) | <0.001b |
| Platform treatment | 562 (61.6) | 425 (62.4) | 137 (59.1) | |
| Active treatment | 207 (22.7) | 134 (19.7) | 73 (31.5) | |
| Time on current DMT at baseline, mo, median (IQR) | 34 (27–41) | 34 (27–40) | 33 (27–40) | 0.768a |
| Patients with risk factors | ||||
| Active smoker | 160 (17.5) | 123 (18.1) | 37 (15.9) | 0.465b |
| Hypertension | 184 (20.2) | 141 (20.7) | 43 (18.5) | 0.477b |
| Obesity | 296 (32.4) | 222 (32.6) | 74 (31.9) | 0.843b |
| Cardiovascular disease | 105 (11.5) | 85 (12.5) | 20 (8.6) | 0.111b |
| Type-2 diabetes | 96 (10.5) | 78 (11.5) | 18 (7.8) | 0.113b |
Abbreviations: DMT = disease-modifying treatment; EDSS = Expanded Disability Status Scale; IQR = interquartile range; MS = multiple sclerosis.
Platform treatments comprised injectable substances (glatiramer acetate, beta-interferons), teriflunomide, and dimethyl fumarate. Active treatments comprised natalizumab, ocrelizumab, fingolimod, cladribine, and alemtuzumab.
Statistical significance was calculated using Kruskal-Wallis test for continuous variables (a) and χ2 test or Fisher exact test for categorical variables (b).