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Abstract
Objective: To characterize patients misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Methods: Neurologists at 4 academic MS centers submitted data on patients determined to have been misdiagnosed with MS.
Results: Of 110 misdiagnosed patients, 51 (46%) were classified as “definite” and 59 (54%) “probable” misdiagnoses according to study definitions. Alternate diagnoses included migraine alone or in combination with other diagnoses 24 (22%), fibromyalgia 16 (15%), nonspecific or nonlocalizing neurologic symptoms with abnormal MRI 13 (12%), conversion or psychogenic disorders 12 (11%), and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder 7 (6%). Duration of misdiagnosis was 10 years or longer in 36 (33%) and an earlier opportunity to make a correct diagnosis was identified for 79 patients (72%). Seventy-seven (70%) received disease-modifying therapy and 34 (31%) experienced unnecessary morbidity because of misdiagnosis. Four (4%) participated in a research study of an MS therapy. Leading factors contributing to misdiagnosis were consideration of symptoms atypical for demyelinating disease, lack of corroborative objective evidence of a CNS lesion as satisfying criteria for MS attacks, and overreliance on MRI abnormalities in patients with nonspecific neurologic symptoms.
Conclusions: Misdiagnosis of MS leads to unnecessary and potentially harmful risks to patients. Misinterpretation and misapplication of MS clinical and radiographic diagnostic criteria are important contemporary contributors to misdiagnosis.
GLOSSARY
- IgG=
- immunoglobulin G;
- MS=
- multiple sclerosis;
- NMOSD=
- neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder;
- OCB=
- oligoclonal band
Footnotes
Go to Neurology.org for full disclosures. Funding information and disclosures deemed relevant by the authors, if any, are provided at the end of the article.
- Received January 28, 2016.
- Accepted in final form June 9, 2016.
- © 2016 American Academy of Neurology
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