Crielaard L, et al. - By identifying benign cases in the Swedish Multiple Sclerosis registry, researchers assessed features related to benign multiple sclerosis (BMS), often defined by an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of ≤3.0 after ≥15 years of disease, and its long-term prognosis. Using generalized estimation equations models, physical disability, cognitive function (Symbol Digit Modalities Test; SDMT), and self-reported and socioeconomic differences between benign and non-benign patients were assessed. There were 11,222 patients involved in this investigation. Benign patients, at the onset of multiple sclerosis (MS), were more likely to be female, younger, have fewer recurrences from onset within the first two and five years, and fully recover from the first recurrence. They found no association between human leucocyte antigen (HLA) DRB1*15:01 carriership or HLA-A*02:01 lacking and benign/non-benign. The results obtained from the nationwide cohort study indicate that BMS patients, as a group, have a better course of illness, as they progress more slowly in all respects. Either environmental or genetic factors outside the HLA region are most likely influenced by the course of MS, as indicated by the lack of correlation with major genetic risk factors.