Early magnetic resonance imaging predictors of clinical progression after 48 months in clinically isolated syndrome patients treated with intramuscular interferon β-1a

Background and purpose Our aim was to identify early imaging surrogate markers of clinical progression in patients after the first demyelinating event suggestive of multiple sclerosis treated with weekly intramuscular interferon β‐1a. In a prospective observational study, the predictive role of baseline and 6‐month changes in magnetic resonance imaging outcomes was investigated with respect to relapse activity and development of confirmed disability progression in patients after 48 months. Methods This study examined 210 patients. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyse predictors of relapse activity and confirmed disability progression after 48 months. Results Greater T2 lesion volume [hazard ratio (HR) 1.81; P = 0.005] and the presence of contrast‐enhancing lesions (HR 2.13; P