Multiple sclerosis : clinical and laboratory research
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Comparative Study
Retrospective comparison of the original and revised McDonald criteria in a general neurology practice in Ireland.
The McDonald criteria were introduced in 2001 as guidelines to facilitate early and accurate diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). They were revised in 2005. Although validated in a number of research-focused clinical centres, their adequacy and utility in the general neurology setting is less certain. ⋯ There is a considerable gap between the clinical diagnosis of MS in a general neurology setting and compliance with the McDonald criteria. Failure to perform follow-up MRI on patients with clinically isolated syndromes is a sizeable factor in this diagnostic-gap and needs to be improved. In this setting, practical differences between the original and revised criteria appear to be small.