To study the clinical spectrum, etiological profile and functional outcomes of demyelinating disorders in south coastal Karnataka.

Design:  Observational analytical study.

All the patients with primary/idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating diseases diagnosed based on appropriate criteria were included in the study from Jan 2016 to Jan 2018. Patients with systemic conditions causing CNS demyelination were excluded from the study, patients less than 16 years were excluded from the study.

Sixty seven  patients were diagnosed with various idiopathic inflammatory diseases of CNS during the study period. Mean age of presentation is 39.12 years, with slight  female predominance. Paraparesis and quadriparas(35%) are the most common clinical presentations followed by optic neuritis(21.5%). Multiple sclerosis (MS) was diagnosed in 29.85% cases, NMO/NMOSD  in 22.38%, optic neuritis in 16.41%, Transverse myelitis(TM) in 17.91%, ADEM in 7.46%, other cases of isolated idiopathic first episode of demyelination in 5.97%. Mean EDSS during presentation was highest for NMO and NMOSD group (Mean EDSS=6.9). During follow up mean fall in EDSS was found to be highest in MS(Mean = 3.5) and TM(Mean=3.2).

Multiple sclerosis followed by NMO/NMOSD were found to be  the most common inflammatory demyelinating diseases of CNS in the present study. EDSS was found to be highest among NMO/NMOSD patients during presentation. MS followed by TM cases were found to show best response at the end of 6 weeks after the initial course of steroids.