Abstract
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system characterized by immune-mediated demyelination, gliosis (plaque or scar formation), and progressive neuronal loss. The disease typically follows a relapsing-remitting or progressive course and predominantly affects young adults. Early diagnosis and timely initiation of treatment are essential to minimize long-term neurological disability. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 39 patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis according to the 2017 McDonald diagnostic criteria, who were hospitalized at the Neurology Center, Bach Mai Hospital. Objective: To investigate the association between clinical manifestations, visual evoked potential (VEP) abnormalities, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in patients with multiple sclerosis. Results: The majority of patients were female (82.1%), with most cases occurring between 20 and 49 years of age. MRI abnormalities were identified in the brain (82.1%) and spinal cord (69.2%). Abnormal visual evoked potentials were detected in 56.4% of patients, including prolonged P100 latency (41.0%) and absence of VEP responses (15.4%). Patients presenting with motor impairment or sensory disturbances had significantly higher rates of abnormal brain and spinal cord MRI findings than those without these clinical manifestations (p < 0.05). Patients with blurred vision were significantly more likely to exhibit abnormal VEP findings than those without visual symptoms (p < 0.05). The sensitivity and specificity of VEP in detecting multiple sclerosis were 85.7% and 77.7%, respectively. Conclusion: Motor impairment and sensory disturbances were significantly associated with abnormal brain and spinal cord MRI findings, while blurred vision was significantly associated with abnormal VEP results. These findings support the important role of VEP in detecting abnormalities of the visual pathway, particularly during the subclinical stage or when MRI fails to demonstrate structural lesions.
