Consensus statement on the diagnosis of multiple system atrophy

We report the results of a consensus conference on the diagnosis of multipl e system atrophy (MSA). We describe the clinical features of the disease, w hich include four domains: autonomic failure/urinary dysfunction, parkinson ism and cerebellar ataxia, and corticospinal dysfunction. We set criteria t o define the relative importance of these features. The diagnosis of possib le MSA requires one criterion plus two features from separate other domains . The diagnosis of probable MSA requires the criterion for autonomic failur e/urinary dysfunction plus poorly levodopa responsive parkinsonism or cereb ellar ataxia. The diagnosis of definite MSA requires pathological confirmat ion. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.