Baseline Expanded Disability Status Scale Score and CD8+ T Cell Levels as Risk Factors for Disability Progression in Multiple Sclerosis

Pen-Ju Liu, Peng Yuan, Shui-Ping Liu Department of Neurology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100029, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Pen-Ju Liu, Department of Neurology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 2 Anzhen Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 13521678687, Email [email protected]: This study aimed to investigate peripheral blood T cell subset characteristics and identify risk factors associated with disability progression in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).Methods: We retrospectively analysed the clinical data of patients with MS treated at the Neurology Department of our hospital between May 2014 and August 2024. T lymphocyte subsets were assessed using flow cytometry. Patients were categorised into disability progression and non-progression groups based on changes in their Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores from baseline to final assessment. Clinical data from both groups were analysed to identify independent risk factors for disability progression.Results: Of the patients with MS included, 68.84% had relapsing–remitting MS, with subacute onset being the most common (47.10%) and limb weakness the primary presenting symptom (34.06%). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed between progression and non-progression groups in disease duration, relapse frequency, onset symptoms, baseline and final EDSS scores and T lymphocyte subset distribution. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified baseline EDSS score (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.101– 2.253, p = 0.014) and CD8+ T cell levels (95% CI: 0.603– 1.491, p = 0.042) as independent risk factors for disability progression in patients with MS (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Baseline EDSS scores and CD8+ T cell levels are independent risk factors for disability progression in MS and may serve as important indicators for monitoring disease progression.Keywords: multiple sclerosis, T cell subsets, disability, risk factors