Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Acta Neurologica Belgica, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently co-occurs with systemic autoimmune diseases (AID). However, the impact of these comorbidities on the long-term clinical course of MS remains controversial, with conflicting reports regarding their effect on disability accumulation. This study aimed to investigate whether the presence of a comorbid AID influences disability progression in a large, single-center cohort of patients with MS. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study involving patients recruited from a tertiary referral center. Participants were stratified into two groups: those with a comorbid autoimmune disease (MSpwAID) and those without (MSpwoAID). Conditions affecting the central nervous system were excluded to prevent confounding. The primary outcomes were time to confirmed Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores of 3.0 and 6.0. Kaplan-Meier survival curves, multivariate Cox proportional hazards and ANCOVA models were utilized to assess disability progression. Results: The study included 1,230 MS patients, of whom 95 had a comorbid autoimmune disease and 1,135 did not. The MSpwAID group had a significantly higher proportion of female patients and longer disease duration compared to MSpwoAID. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed no significant difference between the groups regarding the time to reach EDSS 3.0 or EDSS 6.0. The presence of a comorbid AID was not associated with an increased risk of disability progression in adjusted models. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that concurrent AIDs do not independently accelerate long-term disability progression in MS. Nevertheless, screening for these comorbidities remains essential for individualized treatment strategies and minimizing therapeutic risks.