[Benign forms of multiple sclerosis : a revaluation (author's transl)].

The authors studied 38 cases of benign forms of MS, defined as those allowing a normal or nearly normal social, occupational, and family life over a "long" period of tens of years, for at least 15 years (mean : 28 years, range : 15 to 68 years).--Forms with rare relapses with long intervals between them (18 cases), and a mean period of 14 years (5 to 30) between the first and second episode.--Recurrent forms (17 cases) with frequent attacks (one or two a year), including 8 cases with no further relapses after an average period of 10 years, and 9 cases with continuation at the same rhythm for 15 to 23 years.--Secondarily progressive forms belonging to both types--8 in the first and 3 in the second--characterized by the late onset (mean : 25 years, range : 15 to 47 years) of a progressive paraplegia.--Slow forms (3 cases) with an early but only slowly evolving progressive phase, which fall into a border line category of benign forms. Independently of the mean age of onset (26 years); the predominence of females (2.2); and the symptomatology of the first attack (40 p. 100 involve the cranial nerves, and 40 p. 100 have pyramidal signs), the two essential characteristics of benign forms are the remarkable regression of relapses (rare of frequent) and the absence of a progressive phase. Once the 10-year point has been passed without permanent disability the prognosis is good, but with the reserve that the disease can become worse at a later stage.