Recent developments in the early diagnosis and management of multiple sclerosis.

The management paradigm for multiple sclerosis (MS) is moving toward earlier diagnosis (on the basis of clinical, paraclinical, and laboratory findings), differentiation of patients with varying prognoses, and earlier implementation of treatment in selected individuals. On the basis of a survey conducted at the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses Annual Conference in 2009, several topics were identified for which nurses indicated a need for new and updated information, including current diagnostic methods for MS, optimal time to initiate treatment of MS, and emerging therapies for MS. This article was designed to address these issues.