Frequently Asked Questions
What will happen to me?
It is impossible to predict accurately the course of MS for any individual, but the first five years give some indication of how the disease will continue for that person. This is based upon the course of the disease over that period and the disease type. (i.e. relapsing-remitting or progressive). The level of disability reached at end points such as five and ten years is thought to be a reliable predictor of the future course of the disease. However, there are many variables in this scenario:
• A large percentage of people with MS are not severely affected by their disease and live for 10-15 years or more a normal and productive life, without being limited by the disease.
• There is a significant group (30-50%) of patients with relapsing-remitting MS which become progressive after 10 years.1
• Age at onset and gender may also be indicators of the long-term course of the disease. Some research has indicated that younger age at onset [under 16 years of age] implies a more favourable prognosis, but this must be tempered by the knowledge that for a young adult living with MS for 20 or 30 years may result in substantial disability even if the progress towards disability is slow and in the first 10 or 15 years he or she is relatively mildly affected. Other research has indicated that late onset [i.e. over 55 years of age], particularly in males, may indicate a progressive course of the disease2.
The prospect of therapy for MS should be encouraging to those newly diagnosed with MS. Drugs such as interferon beta are possible disease modifying treatments for those who have relapsing-remitting disease and are ambulatory. The interferon betas may slow the progression of disability as well as reduce the severity and frequency of exacerbations. The breadth of research currently targeting MS gives hope that therapy which will interfere with the process of MS (even if not curing the disease) is not an unreasonable expectation in the near future.
It should be remembered that many people with MS go through life with a manageable disability (e.g. fatigue, a limp, bladder problems). On average one can say that after 15 years, 50% of patients are still walking and some 40% are still working.2 However, about 10% of people with MS will become severely disabled within 5 years (i.e. having to use a wheelchair on a full-time basis). Life expectancy for persons with MS is near normal.3
Text is based on information on www.msif.org
References:
1 Gold R & Rieckmann P. Pathogenese und Therapie der Multiplen Sklerose. Uni-Med, Bremen, 2000, 109 p.
2 Paty DW & Ebers GC. Multiple Sclerosis. F.A. Davis Company, Philadelphia, 1998, 572 p.
3 Kesselring J. Multiple Sklerose. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart, 1993, 242 p.
