Summary: Researchers of the Canadian Prospective Cohort Study to Understand Progression in Multiple Sclerosis (CanProCo) described the demographic and clinical profiles of people included in the study. A total of 944 adults were recruited across five Canadian MS research centres, including people with radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS), relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), primary progressive MS (PPMS), and people who do not have MS. A mix of different races and ethnicities was observed among the CanProCo participants. Physical and neurological disability were also reported among people with MS even at the earliest stages of the disease. This publication is the first step for future studies using the CanProCo data.
Background: CanProCo is a national study designed to better understand the factors related to MS progression and how they interact with one another to cause disease worsening. Led by Dr. Jiwon Oh (St. Michael’s Hospital/University of Toronto) and involving a team of over 50 researchers across Canada and internationally, the goal of CanProCo is to create a cohort of Canadians living with MS and following them over time for at least five years to collect valuable data covering the fields of neuroimmunology, neuroimaging, epidemiology, health economics and much more.
Details: In this publication, the researchers outlined the ages, backgrounds, and clinical details of people who took part in the study. People with and without MS were recruited at five MS research centres across Canada (Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal). All participants were asked to complete self-reported questionnaires, clinical evaluation, and brain/spinal cord imaging.
Results: A total of 944 adults were recruited into CanProCo, including people with RIS (63), RRMS (751), PPMS (77), and healthy controls (53).
- A diverse racial/ethnic representation was observed in the CanProCo cohort. A majority of participants with MS and RIS self-reported as white, followed by South Asian, Arab/West Asian, mixed race, and Black and Caribbean.
- The average age of people with MS and RIS was 39 years old with 70% being women.
- Over half of participants with RRMS and PPMS were on disease-modifying treatment.
- Physical and neurological disability were observed among people with MS even at the earliest stages of disease:
- The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score was highest among people with PPMS followed by RRMS but there were also participants with RIS who reported to having mild disability.
- People with MS, including those with early RRMS and RIS, self-reported to have more symptoms of depression and anxiety compared to people without MS.
Impact: This publication sets the foundation for future studies using CanProCo data. The results from CanProCo could help create treatments to stop or slow down the disease, which is one of the major unmet needs in the field of MS. By understanding what affects progression in MS, neurologists and scientists will be able to better predict how different people will experience MS over time and provide better care for them.
This research is funded by Brain Canada Foundation, Biogen Canada Inc., Hoffman-La Roche Limited (Roche), Government of Alberta, and MS Canada.
Reference:
Article published in: Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders on September 12, 2024 – The Canadian Prospective Cohort Study to understand progression in multiple sclerosis: baseline characteristics. Link to article – here.
Additional Resources:
Learn more about the CanProCo Study – here.