2026 American Academy of Neurology Abstract Website

Objective:

To determine if there is a statistically significant difference in time from first symptom onset to diagnosis in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) across race, ethnicity, gender, age at onset of symptoms, and zip code.

Background:

Early diagnosis and treatment have been shown to improve long-term outcomes in individuals with MS. MS has historically been referred to as a "Caucasian women's disease." As a result, many other populations have reported experiencing delays in their diagnosis, a more severe disease course, and greater disability. These findings highlight the need for a better understanding of how and when MS presents in different populations and whether it is being diagnosed equitably across diverse groups.

Design/Methods:

Patients age 18 and older who are established with the MS clinic at a single institution and were seen at least once within the past 5 years (N=302) were included. First symptom onset, time of diagnosis, gender, race, ethnicity, age, and zip code were collected from the electronic medical record. Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to determine if time to diagnosis was different across these demographic parameters.

Results:

Time to diagnosis was not different across gender, race, or ethnicity. Time to diagnosis in those diagnosed at older ages was 4.21 years compared to 1.30 years in those diagnosed at younger ages (p < 0.001). Time to diagnosis was 2.10 years for Caucasian women compared to 3.10 years for all others (p = 0.02).

Conclusions:

While race and gender independently did not lead to a delay in MS diagnosis, patients who do not identify as Caucasian women do experience a delay in MS diagnosis. Of note, the overrepresentation of African American and Hispanic patients treated in this clinic, may have resulted in increased awareness of how MS presents in all races and genders.