The study enrolled patients after first clinical event suggestive of MS within 4 months from the first clinical event. The inclusion criteria were:18–55 years of age, enrolled within 4 months from the clinical event, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) ≤3.5, presence of ≥2 T2-hyperintense lesions on diagnostic MRI, and presence of ≥2 oligoclonal bands in CSF obtained at the screening visit prior to steroid treatment. The exclusion criteria were: occurrence of a second relapse before the baseline visit, pregnancy and symptoms that could possibly be attributed to neurological diseases different from MS (e.g. neuromyelitis optica).