231 Nursing Assessment, Management and Treatment of Autoimmune Diseases
Figure 5. Main Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis
Note . From Häggström, 2014. Diagnostic criteria
● Elimination of all other possible diagnoses. Risk factors There are a number of risk factors asso- ciated with MS that may be used in the diagnostic process. These include the fol- lowing (Mayo Clinic, 2020b): ● Age : Although MS can occur at any age, its onset typically occurs around the ages of 20-40 years of age. ● Certain autoimmune diseases : A higher risk of MS is associated with people who have other autoimmune
The Revised McDonald Criteria, pub - lished in 2017 by the International Panel on the Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, in - cludes guidelines for using findings from MRIs and lumbar puncture. These can help to speed up the diagnostic process (National MS Society, 2021). According to these criteria, in order to make a diagnosis of MS there must be (National MS Society, 2021): ● Evidence of damage in at least two separate areas of the CNS. ● Evidence that the damage occurred at different points in time.
disorders such as thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes, or inflammatory bowel disease.
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