Opinion|Videos|December 3, 2024

Understanding PIRA in MS: Key Insights and Advances From ECTRIMS 2024

Author(s)Gabriel Pardo, MD, FAAN
Martin Belkin, DO

Panelists discuss how progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) in multiple sclerosis (MS) represents continuous neurological decline unrelated to inflammatory events, distinct from relapse-associated worsening (RAW). Recent ECTRIMS 2024 presentations emphasized standardized evaluation methods to better understand disease progression and improve patient management strategies.

Video content above is prompted by the following:

Cognition and PIRA in MS have received a lot of attention in recent years.
Please provide an overview of PIRA and its potential impact on a patient’s quality of life.
How is PIRA different from RAW?
How is PIRA evaluated? Discuss presentations from ECTRIMS 2024 by Muller and others about standardization of PIRA evaluation and why it might matter.

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