PPMS

Medical abbreviation · Neurology

PPMS stands for Primary progressive multiple sclerosis, a neurology abbreviation.

Form of multiple sclerosis, seen in about 10 to 15 percent of patients, in which disability worsens steadily from onset without early relapses. It usually begins later, around age 40, affects men and women about equally, and often presents as progressive walking difficulty.

Example: Two years of progressive spastic paraparesis, CSF oligoclonal bands, spinal cord lesions: PPMS.

Usage notes

Ocrelizumab, approved by the FDA in 2017, was the first drug shown to slow disability progression in PPMS. Treatment focuses on mobility, spasticity, bladder symptoms and rehabilitation. Spinal cord involvement is more prominent than brain inflammation compared with relapsing MS.

Related abbreviations

More neurology abbreviations

• PICA – Posterior inferior cerebellar artery
• PLEX – Plasma exchange
• PML – Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
• PN – Peripheral neuropathy
• PNES – Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures
• PPA – Primary progressive aphasia
• PRES – Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome
• PSP – Progressive supranuclear palsy
• PTC – Pseudotumor cerebri
• PVS – Persistent vegetative state
• RBD – REM sleep behavior disorder
• RCVS – Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome

See all 131 neurology abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.