Table 1. Baseline characteristics of the pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) casesϕ.
| Characteristic, n (%) unless stated otherwise | MS cases, n=17 |
|---|---|
| Sex: Girl | 10 (59%) |
| Boy | 7 (41%) |
| Age, years: mean (SD; range) | 12.5 years (SD=4.57; 4-17) |
| Age: ≤12 years old | 5 (29%) |
| >12 years old | 12 (61%) |
| Race: White | 8 (47%) |
| Non-white | 9 (53%) |
| Ethnicity: Hispanic | 8 (47%) |
| Non- Hispanic | 9 (53%) |
| Co-morbid condition [a]: present | 7 (41%) |
| Absent | 10 (59%) |
| MS-Specific clinical characteristics | |
| Age at MS symptom onset, years: mean (SD; range) | 12.1 years (SD=4.8; 4-17) |
| Disease duration [b], months: mean (SD; range) | 10.3 months (SD=6.6; 2.3-23.1) |
|
Time since last relapse or onset attack (onset attack considered): days: mean (SD; range) |
183 days (SD=140; 4 to 489 days) |
| Disability level - EDSS at enrolment, median (range) | 2.0 (0-4.0) |
| 0-<2.0 | 7 |
| 2.0-<3.0 | 7 |
| 3.0+ | 3 |
| Immunomodulatory drug exposure status [c]: IMD nai̇ve | 8 (47%) |
| IMD exposed | 9 (53%) |
| Corticosteroids – systemic [d]: No | 11 (65%) |
| Yes | 6 (35%) |
| Available prospective follow-up‡, months: mean (SD; range) | 19.8 months (SD=12.0; 1.8-41.6) |
Key: SD=standard deviation; EDSS=Expanded Disability Status Scale score; IMD=immunomodulatory drug
data shown are in relation to baseline (i.e. date of stool sample collection) unless otherwise stated. EDSS was assessed at the clinic visit nearest to the stool sample, i.e. at enrollment into the study
all prospective follow-up was expressed regardless if (or when) a relapse occurred, with the study end being the last clinic visit or contact for each child
the comorbid conditions for the 7 children were: headache, atopic dermatitis/eczema, long-term constipation, history of shingles, seizures, reactive airways disease and headache, scoliosis
disease duration: time from symptom onset to baseline (stool collection)
‘IMD naïve’ indicates never exposed pre-baseline. ‘IMD exposed’ indicates ever exposed pre-baseline. At baseline, all IMD exposed cases were still on an MS drug as follows: beta-interferon (n=3); glatiramer acetate (n=5); natalizumab (n=1). No child had switched or stopped an IMD (although one child had previously been exposed to plasma exchange before taking glatiramer acetate).
within the previous 2 months