ECTRIMS eLearning

Abstract: P824

Type: Poster

Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - Paediatric MS

Background: the concept of cognitive reserve (CR) has been suggested to clarify the discrepancies between the degree of brain damage and its clinical manifestations. While the role of CR in adult patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is being addressed by different research groups, information in the pediatric-onset population is scarce. Objectives: to assess socio-professional attainment in adulthood and its relationships with cognitive performance and CR in a group of patients with POMS.

Methods: MS patients with POMS (disease onset before the age of 18 years) were enrolled in six Italian MS Centres. Cognitive functioning was assessed through the Rao"s Brief Repeatable Battery and Stroop Test. Cognitive impairment (CI) was defined as the failure of at least 3 tests using the Italian normative data.CR was estimated using as proxies the subject educational level and premorbid IQ based on the Italian version of the National Adult Reading Test. Socio-professional attainment was evaluated on the scale Barratt Simplified Measure of Social Status. The relationships between CR, cognitive functioning and socio-professional attainment in adulthood were assessed through linear and logistic multivariable regression analyses.

Results: to date, 48 POMS patients were enrolled (28 females, age 31.1 +/- 7.8 years, EDSS 1.9 +/-2.6). The proportion of subjects with CI was 25%. In the multivariable analysis, unemployment in adulthood was associated with the presence of CI (OR=6.0,95%CI 1.3-27.0; p=0.019) and lower educational level (OR=0.79,95%CI 0.62-0.99;p=0.05). Higher occupational competency was related to older age (B=0.35;p=0.007), and, marginally, absence of CI (B=-0.24;p=0.095).

Conclusions: CI and lower CR in MS patients with pediatric onset disease predicted higher risk of unemployment in adulthood. Our findings suggest the need for regular monitoring of cognitive functioning in subjects with POMS and potential usefulness of interventions focused on intellectual enrichment in this population.

This work has been funded by FISM (Italian Federation for MS)

Disclosure:

• Maria Pia Amato received personal compensation from Merck Serono, Biogen, Genzyme, Teva and Novartis for serving on scientific advisory board and for speaking received financial support for research activities from Almirall, Merck Serono, Biogen Idec, Bayer Schering, Genzyme, Novartis, Genzyme and Teva.
• Luisa Pasto received article grants from Almirall and Biogen
• Marta Giannini received grants from Biogen , Almirall, Novartis, Genzyme, Teva and bayer
• Emilio Portaccio serves on a scientific advisory board for Biogen, Merck Serono and Bayer, received honoraria for speaking from Biogen-Idec, Teva, Novartis and Genzyme and receives research support from Merck Serono
• Bahia Hakiki serves on a scientific advisory board for Novartis nd receives research support from Teva and Biogen Idec.
• Isabella Righini research support from Novartis
• Lorenzo Razzolini research support from Novartis
• Angelo Ghezzi has served on scientific advisory boards for Merck Serono, Novartis, Biogen Idec, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., and has received speaker honoraria from Merck Serono, Biogen Idec, Bayer Schering Pharma, Sanofi-Genzyme, Novartis, Serono Symposia International and Almirall.
• Rosa Gemma Viterbo serves on a scientific advisory board for Biogen.
• Maria Giovanna Marrosu Funding for travel and speaker honoraria from: Almirall, Bayer, Biogen, Merck, Novartis and TEVA; Serving on a scientific advisory board: Almirall, Bayer, Biogen, Merck, Novartis and TEVA; speaker honoraria from: Almirall, Bayer, Biogen, Merck, Novartis and TEVA; research support from Merck, Bayer, TEVA, Genzyme and Biogen; research Support from Sardinia Region (Legge7, RAS) and Fondazione Banco di Sardegna
• Eleonora Cocco has received honoraria for consultancy or speaking from Biogen, TEVA, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis, Merck Serono and Bayer
• Giuseppe Fenu has received honoraria for consultancy or speaking from Merck Serono, Novartis and Teva.
• Francesco Patti has received personal compensations for activities with Merck Serono, Bayer Schering Pharma, and Dompé Biotec.
• Monica Falautano has received travel grants from Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla (FISM).
• Eleonora Minacapelli has received travel and research grants from Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla (FISM) and serves as consultant for “Fondazione Cesare Serono”