Established factors associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) disease worsening in time to disease milestones also have impacts on annual progression, a recent study found. In order to characterize clinical factors influencing MS disease progression as annual transitions from each Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), researchers analyzed the annual progression of 11,964 patients from an MS Registry. They utilized 10 multinomial logistic regressions, that is, one for transition from each full EDSS with explanatory variables age, sex, age at onset, time in current EDSS, highest prior EDSS, and MS course and treatment. They found:

• All factors (except sex) investigated had statistically significant impacts on transitions from at least 1 EDSS.
• However, significance and size of the effect are dependent on the EDSS state of the patient.
• Greater age, longer time in a state, highest prior EDSS, and having progressive MS and treatment had significant impacts, whereas age at onset had minor impact.