{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]],"date-time":"2026-08-26T04:25:15Z","timestamp":1787718315040,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]],"date-time":"2026-08-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787529600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"F. Hoffmann\u2013La Roche"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Neurol. Int.","Neurology International"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: To describe the demographic, clinical, and epidemiological characteristics of a cohort of patients diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in Lima, Peru. Methods: A descriptive, retrospective cohort study conducted across three major hospitals in Lima. We included adult patients diagnosed with MS in any of its clinical phenotypes\u2014Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS), Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS), Secondary Progressive MS (SPMS), and Primary Progressive MS (PPMS)\u2014who were followed between 2007 and 2017. Results: A total of 103 patients were identified. The majority were women (58.3%), with a median age at onset of 38.4 years (Interquartile Range [IQR]: 28.9\u201346.5). The most common clinical phenotype at onset was RRMS (90.3%), which remained the most prevalent phenotype at the current evaluation (79.6%). Twelve patients (12.9%) progressed from RRMS to SPMS by their last control visit. The most frequent symptoms at onset were limb weakness (72.8%), sensory symptoms (72.8%), and blurred vision (42.0%). At the last evaluation, the most frequent symptoms were limb weakness (78.6%), sensory symptoms (71.8%), and spasticity (40.2%). The most common initial treatment was interferon-beta (44.7%), while two patients (1.9%) initiated therapy with a highly effective disease-modifying drug (DMD), Ocrelizumab. The most recent treatment reported remained interferon-beta (33.9%), but 12 patients (11.7%) were currently receiving Ocrelizumab. Conclusions: This study describes clinical characteristics at onset and during follow-up that are largely similar to those reported in international series. However, we found no evidence of improved disease evolution, a finding potentially attributable to the heterogeneity of treatment and management strategies employed across the cohort.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/neurolint18090160","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]],"date-time":"2026-08-24T08:03:41Z","timestamp":1787558621000},"page":"160","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics of Multiple Sclerosis in a Peruvian Cohort: A Retrospective Study Across Three Lima Hospitals"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Ana Cruz","family":"Cruz","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Hospital Nacional Alberto Sabogal-Essalud, Lima 07011, Peru"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Julio","family":"Perez-Villegas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neurological Unit, National Hospital Dos de Mayo, Lima 15001, Peru"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eduardo","family":"Alvarado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Roche Farma, Lima 15047, Peru"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Edward","family":"Smith","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Roche Farma, Lima 15047, Peru"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ivan","family":"Due\u00f1as-Pacheco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Servicio de Neurolog\u00eda, Hospital Nacional Mar\u00eda Auxiliadora, Lima 15801, Peru"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"269","DOI":"10.1016\/S1474-4422(18)30443-5","article-title":"Global, regional, and national burden of multiple sclerosis 1990\u20132016: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016","volume":"18","author":"Wallin","year":"2019","journal-title":"Lancet Neurol."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1132","DOI":"10.1136\/jnnp.2011.240432","article-title":"Latitude is significantly associated with the prevalence of multiple sclerosis: A meta-analysis","volume":"82","author":"Simpson","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. 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