Walsh & Hoyt: Prognosis

Previous data on the prognosis of MS must be viewed in light of the fact that immunomodulatory and other disease-modifying therapies for MS have evolved rapidly over the past decade, and rationale has been developed for early therapy in high-risk patients with clinically isolated syndromes. How these factors will affect long-term prognosis is not yet clear, although the positive short-term effects of major disease-modifying therapies on disease progression, cognitive function, and MR imaging findings are well described.