Incidence Rate Of Multiple Sclerosis Research Articles

Epidemiological Characteristics of Inflammatory Demyelinating Diseases of the Central Nervous System Including Multiple Sclerosis

Relevance. Demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system and multiple sclerosis, in particular, make their debut at a young age and can lead to profound disability and death within a few years. In the last decade, there has been an increase in the number of cases of demyelinating diseases in Russia and in the world, which necessitates an in-depth study of these pathologies. Goal. To study the dynamics and features of the formation of morbidity, prevalence and mortality from demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system, including multiple sclerosis in various population groups in the Russian Federation. Materials and methods. The study design is a descriptive retrospective epidemiological study (continuous). The data was sampled from the forms of the federal state statistical observation on the distribution of the deceased by gender, age groups and causes of death of Rosstat (FSN S-51), as well as from the statistical collections of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Central Research Institute of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation "Morbidity of the population" from 2009 to 2021. Results. The analysis of the data showed that in 2009-2021 in Russia there was an increase in idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating diseases (IDD) and multiple sclerosis (MS) among the adult population and adolescents aged 15 to 17 years. There is no tendency to increase or decrease the incidence among children under 14 years of age. The highest average long–term incidence rates of IDD and MS among adults are observed in the Ufa region (7.13 ± 0.27 and 5.31 ± 0.23 per 100 thousand adults, respectively), among children under 14 - IDD in the Central Federal District (1.88 ± 0.18 per 100 thousand contingent) and MS in the Central Federal District and Volga Federal District (0.22 ± 0.07 per 100 thousand contingent). Among children from 15 to 17 years of age, the highest incidence of IDD is noted in the Northwestern Federal District (4.41 ± 1.10 per 100 thousand contingent) and the Ural Federal District (4.40 ± 1.09 per 100 thousand contingent), RS – in the Central Federal District (2.67 ± 0.51 per 100 thousand contingent). IDD and MS are the least common among all age groups in the Far Eastern Federal District. Over the period from 2000 to 2020, there has been a decrease in MS mortality in the Russian Federation by 34%, from 0.72 to 0.48 per 100,000 population. The average annual mortality rate from MS among men was 0.4 ± 0.021 cases per 100 thousand of the contingent, among women 0.5 ± 0.023 cases per 100 thousand of the contingent. Conclusion. The increase in the incidence of demyelinating diseases and MS, in particular, is an important medical and social problem. These pathologies significantly reduce the quality of life and shorten the duration of work, due to the development of persistent disability in the young population. The study showed the uneven distribution of the disease across the territories of the Russian Federation, which in the future will improve the logistics of drug delivery and the provision of medical personnel, which confirms the relevance of constant and in-depth study of the epidemiology of idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating diseases in Russia.

COVID-19 and multiple sclerosis: is there a connection?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system, which is based on inflammatory demyelination and neurodegeneration. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a perception that the virus has an effect on the course of immune processes. The questions of whether the frequency of autoimmune diseases, including the nervous system, and their course has changed have been discussed. Aim of the study was to assess the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of MS during the COVID-19 pandemic from 01.01.2020 to 01.01.2023 in Novosibirsk. In the course of our work, we studied the incidence of MS and the features of the clinical picture of the debut of MS associated with COVID-19 infection. Material and methods. The study included 628 patients with MS living in Novosibirsk with the onset of the disease in the period before the pandemic from 01.01.2017 to 12/31/2019 (341 patients) and during the pandemic from 01.01.2020 to 01.1.2023 (287 patients). Results. The incidence rates of MS in Novosibirsk were calculated, it was 7.1 7.6 6.4 7.38 6.92 and 3.2 per 100 thousand population in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The average incidence of MS in the study period before the pandemic was 7.03 per 100 thousand population, during the pandemic – 5.83 per 100 thousand population (critical value of the Student’s t-test = 1.972, with a significance level of a = 0.05). When analyzing the association of clinical manifestations of the onset of MS with COVID-19, it was found that coordination disorders were observed in patients with moderate infection more often than in patients with mild infection (p < 0.05; odds ratio 0.410, 95% confidence interval 0.162–1.035). No statistically significant correlation of clinical manifestations with the severity of infection was shown for patients with primary progressive MS, however, the predominance of the multi-focal nature of disease after a more severe course of COVID-19 was noted (40 %). After the first clinical demyelinating episode in the group of patients with relapsing-remitting MS, the chances of complete recovery in patients with mild infection are 2.8 times higher than in patients with moderate infection (p < 0.05). Conclusions. Thus, as a result of the conducted study, the effect of COVID-19 on the change in the incidence of MS was not revealed. In the process of analyzing the clinical features of MS during the pandemic, it was found that COVID-19 infection can contribute to an unfavorable course of MS with worse recovery of neurological deficits after episodes of exacerbations, which leads to the accumulation of disability of patients.

Risk of Multiple Sclerosis in People Living with HIV: An International Cohort Study.

There has been interest in a possible negative association between HIV and multiple sclerosis (MS). We aimed to compare the risk of MS in a cohort of individuals living with HIV to that in the general population. Population-based health data were accessed for 2 cohorts of HIV-positive persons from Sweden and British Columbia, Canada. Incident MS was identified using MS registries or a validated algorithm applied to administrative data. Individuals with HIV were followed from 1 year after the first clinical evidence of HIV or the first date of complete administrative health data (Canada = April 1, 1992 and Sweden = January 1, 2001) until the earliest of incident MS, emigration, death, or study end (Canada = March 31, 2020 and Sweden = December 31, 2018). The observed MS incidence rate in the HIV-positive cohort was compared to the expected age-, sex-, calendar year-, income-specific, and region of birth-specific rates in a randomly selected sample of >20% of each general population. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for MS following the first antiretroviral therapy exposure ("ART-exposed") was also calculated. The combined Sweden-Canada cohort included 29,163 (75% men) HIV-positive persons. During 242,248 person-years of follow-up, 14 incident MS cases were observed in the HIV-positive cohort, whereas 26.19 cases were expected. The SIR for MS in the HIV-positive population was 0.53 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.32-0.90). The SIR for MS following the first ART exposure was 0.55 (95% CI = 0.31-0.96). This international population-based study demonstrated a lower risk of MS among HIV-positive individuals, and HIV-positive ART-exposed individuals. These findings provide support for further exploration into the relationship among HIV, ART, and MS. ANN NEUROL 2024;95:487-494.

Multiple sclerosis: Unveiling current immunogenetic factors and their role in etiopathogenesis and clinical aspects

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common cause of neurological deficits among the young population. While the prevalence of MS is increasing worldwide, the incidence rate of MS is also undergoing a similar trend in Lithuania. Globally, women are twice as likely to be affected by MS as men. Unilateral optic neuritis is the most common initial symptom of MS. The signs and symptoms of MS vary greatly from patient to patient and depend on the location and severity of the nerve fiber damage in the central nervous system. Most people with MS have a relapsing-remitting disease course or clinically isolated syndrome. They experience periods of new symptoms or relapses that develop over days or weeks and usually resolve partially or completely. These relapses are followed by quiet periods of disease remission that may last months or even years. Data accumulated over the years suggest a complex interplay between environment and immunogenetics (strong associations with a large number of immune and genetic markers), and an increasingly convincing role of an underlying degenerative process leading to demyelination (in both white and gray matter), axonal and neurosynaptic damage, and a persistent innate inflammatory response, with T-cell-mediated autoimmunity appearing to play a diminishing role as the MS develops and progresses. In the absence of clinically proven, accurate, and reliable biomarkers, the disease can take a progressive course in case of late treatment, signifying the critical need for early diagnosis. This article therefore discusses the etiopathogenesis and clinical aspects of MS.

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL INDICATORS OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS IN THE CITY OF BAKU

Introduction. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, which ranks the second place according to the frequency of disability among young people with neurological disorders. At present, there has not been made any large-scale epidemiological study on the epidemiology of MS in Azerbaijan. The purpose of the research is to study the prevalence and incidence of MS among residents of Baku city. Material and Methods. The material of the research was 559 patients. There were 392 (70%) females and 167 (30%) males. The final diagnosis of MS was made according to the 2010 McDonald criteria. Results. The prevalence of MS was 10.2 patients per 100000 people in 2013. From 2014 to 2019, there was an increase in prevalence from 12.3 to 23.3/100000. The prevalence of MS among men and women was statistically significantly different by statics and came to 2.3:1. The incidence of MS from 2013 to 2020 remained relatively stable at the rate of 2.1-2.9 per 100,000 people. The incidence rate of women in the period of 2013-2019 increased over the years from 2.7 to 3.7, as to men it had a downward trend from 2.1 to 0.9 per 100,000 people. The incidence of MS had the highest representation in the age groups of 20-29 and 30- 39. Conclusion. According to the prevalence of MS, the city of Baku corresponds to the geographic zones of medium risk. The increase in the prevalence of MS from 2013 to 2019 with women occurs at a higher rate than with men. The incidence rate of MS in Baku remains relatively stable at 2.1-2.9 patients per 100,000 people. The incidence of MS in the number of people aged from 20 to 40 prevails in all the years studied.

What do animal models tell us about the role of EBV in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system (CNS), marked primarily by demyelination, inflammation, and neurodegeneration. While the prevalence and incidence rates of MS are on the rise, the etiology of the disease remains enigmatic. Nevertheless, it is widely acknowledged that MS develops in persons who are both genetically predisposed and exposed to a certain set of environmental factors. One of the most plausible environmental culprits is Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a common herpesvirus asymptomatically carried by more than 90% of the adult population. How EBV induces MS pathogenesis remains unknown. A comprehensive understanding of the biology of EBV infection and how it contributes to dysfunction of the immune system and CNS, requires an appreciation of the viral dynamics within the host. Here, we aim to outline the different animal models, including nonhuman primates (NHP), rodents, and rabbits, that have been used to elucidate the link between EBV and MS. This review particularly focuses on how the disruption in virus-immune interaction plays a role in viral pathogenesis and promotes neuroinflammation. We also summarize the effects of virus titers, age of animals, and route of inoculation on the neuroinvasiveness and neuropathogenic potential of the virus. Reviewing the rich data generated from these animal models could provide directions for future studies aimed to understand the mechanism(s) by which EBV induces MS pathology and insights for the development of prophylactic and therapeutic interventions that could ameliorate the disease.

Incidence and prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Spain: a systematic review

IntroductionGreater understanding of the prevalence and incidence of multiple sclerosis in Spain and their temporal trends is necessary to improve the allocation of healthcare resources and to study aetiological factors. MethodsWe performed a systematic search of the MedLine database and reviewed the reference lists of the articles gathered. We collected studies reporting prevalence or incidence rates of multiple sclerosis in any geographical location in Spain, with no time limits. In 70% of cases, data were extracted by 2 researchers (FGL and EAC); any discrepancies were resolved by consensus. ResultsWe identified 51 prevalence and 33 incidence studies published between 1968 and 2018. In the adjusted analysis, the number of prevalent cases per 100 000 population increased by 26.6 (95% confidence interval [CI], 21.5–31.8) every 10 years. After adjusting for year and latitude, the number of incident cases per 100 000 population increased by 1.34 (95% CI, 0.98–1.69) every 10 years. We observed a trend toward higher prevalence and incidence rates at higher latitudes. ConclusionsThe prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Spain has increased in recent decades, although case ascertainment appears to be incomplete in many studies. Incidence rates have also increased, but this may be due to recent improvements in the detection of new cases.

Epidemiologic trends of multiple sclerosis in Puerto Rico (2013–2020)

BackgroundPrevious studies have demonstrated higher multiple sclerosis (MS) incidence and prevalence in Puerto Rico (PR) than in other Caribbean and Latin American countries. Our objectives are to update the epidemiologic trends in MS incidence and prevalence rates for PR from 2017 through 2020 and compare them to prior rate data from 2013 to 2016. MethodsWe used the Puerto Rico MS Foundation's registry (PRMS Registry) data to identify all newly diagnosed MS cases between January 2017 and December 2020. The study population included 568 MS patients, 406 women and 162 men living in PR. All individuals were 18 years and older and met the 2017 revised McDonald criteria for MS diagnosis. In addition, age- and sex-standardized incidence rates were estimated. ResultsA total of 568 new MS cases were diagnosed in Puerto Rico between 2017 and 2020. The 2020 MS cumulative prevalence for Puerto Rico was 95.3/100,000 (95% CI: 91.6, 99.1), higher than previously reported. The age- and sex-standardized MS incidence rate for Puerto Rico decreased from 6.5/100,000 (2017) to 6.3/100,000 (2020). The annual age-standardized MS incidence rates declined for females: from 9.5/100,000 (2017) to 8.2/100,000 (2020) but increased for males from 3.6/100,000 to 4.6/100,000 during the same period. ConclusionThese incidence and prevalence rates are among the highest reported among Caribbean and Latin American countries. A peak in the age- and sex-standardized MS incidence rate was observed after hurricane María (2018) and a decline during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020). Further investigation is needed to determine whether there was a causal relationship between the fluctuations observed and those natural events.

Interdependency of NINJ2 gene expression and polymorphism with susceptibility and response to interferon beta in patients with multiple sclerosis

Objective Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multifactorial inflammatory and autoimmune condition that lead to chronic neurodegeneration and central nervous system (CNS) demyelination that mainly affects young adults. The incidence and prevalence rate of MS considerably vary in ethnicities and geographic regions and affecting women more than men. Interferon-β (IFN-β) is the first-line disease management for MS, while the majority of affected members does not respond to the IFN-β. Numerous recent studies shown a significant relationship between genetic variations and responsiveness to the IFN-β. Therefore, determining the genetic differences in the drug response could help determine precise treatment strategies. Methods The genotyping of the rs7298096 polymorphism (SNP) and NINJ2 gene expression were assessed in 99 responders and 106 non-responder patients with IFN-β treated RRMS. Results The distribution of rs7298096 SNP was significantly different in the responders and non-responder patients and the NINJ2 gene expression considerably increased in the non-responder patients compare to the responders. The NINJ2 gene expression level in the AA genotype of the non-responder group was higher than to the other genotypes of both groups. Conclusion Our results showed that the NINJ2 gene expression level and rs7298096 genotype possibly affect the response to the IFN-β in patients with RRMS.

Incidencia y prevalencia de la esclerosis múltiple en España. Una revisión sistemática

IntroductionGreater understanding of the prevalence and incidence of multiple sclerosis in Spain and their temporal trends is necessary to improve the allocation of healthcare resources and to study aetiological factors. MethodsWe performed a systematic search of the MedLine database and reviewed the reference lists of the articles gathered. We collected studies reporting prevalence or incidence rates of multiple sclerosis in any geographical location in Spain, with no time limits. In 70% of cases, data were extracted by 2 researchers (FGL and EAC); any discrepancies were resolved by consensus. ResultsWe identified 51 prevalence and 33 incidence studies published between 1968 and 2018. In the adjusted analysis, the number of prevalent cases per 100 000 population increased by 26.6 (95% confidence interval [CI], 21.5-31.8) every 10 years. After adjusting for year and latitude, the number of incident cases per 100 000 population increased by 1.34 (95% CI, 0.98-1.69) every 10 years. We observed a trend toward higher prevalence and incidence rates at higher latitudes. ConclusionsThe prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Spain has increased in recent decades, although case ascertainment appears to be incomplete in many studies. Incidence rates have also increased, but this may be due to recent improvements in the detection of new cases.

Increasing incidence and prevalence of multiple sclerosis in the Greater Hobart cohort of Tasmania, Australia

BackgroundThe Greater Hobart region (42.5°S) of Tasmania has consistently had the highest recorded prevalence and incidence rates of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Australia. We reassessed MS epidemiology in 2009–2019 and...

Temporal Incidence and Prevalence Trends of Multiple Sclerosis in Markazi Province, Iran

BackgroundThe epidemiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) exhibits significant variability all over the world. Additionally, the incidence and prevalence of the disease are geographically diverse in the different provinces of Iran. ObjectivesDue to the lack of a research about the epidemiology of MS in the Markazi province of Iran, the present study aimed to estimate its prevalence and incidence in this province. MethodsThis cross-sectional register study was conducted according to the data related to the MS Society of Markazi province. The inclusion criteria were definite MS during 2010–2019, residence in Markazi province, and membership in the MS society of Markazi province. The annual incidence and prevalence of MS (per 100,000 person-years) were computed by sex and age groups. Further, age-standardized prevalence and incidence rates were calculated based on the Iranian population. A gamma regression model with log link was utilized for comparing the rates over time statistically. The prevalence and incidence rates were computed by using Excel, and R 4.0.5 was applied to fit the gamma model. ResultsIn the study, the total number of MS cases was 1,391, among whom 1,098 (78.9%) and 293 (21.1%) were females and males, respectively. The onset of MS occurred at the mean (S.D) age of 31.76 (8.98) years with a female/male ratio of 3.75. During the study period (2010–2019), the incidence rate of the disease was on the decline, while the prevalence rate elevated, by indicating a rising trend in MS prevalence in both sexes. ConclusionThe results represented the decreasing and increasing trend of the incidence and prevalence of MS in Markazi province over the recent years. The province is one of the regions with a high prevalence and incidence rate of MS compared to the national and global statistical data.

Incidence of Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis in Iran within 2000-2019.

ObjectivesDue to a lack of data on pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) epidemiology in Iran, this study aimed to determine the incidence rate of pediatric MS in Iran.Materials & Methods All the data of the patients with MS registered in the Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran for 20 years were collected in this study; those born in 1982 and diagnosed with the disease and treated since 2000 were included in this study. Therefor The collected variables were patients’ age at the time of diagnosis, gender, year of diagnosis, urban or rural residency, and province of residence. Additionally, age-specific incidence rates per 100,000 of the population were calculated.ResultsThis study was performed on 4544 cases of pediatric MS within 2000-2019, of which 997 patients (21.9%) were male. The mean age of the patients with MS at the time of diagnosis was 14.3±4.6 years, and 4414 children (97.1%) lived in urban areas. The incidence rate of pediatric MS in Iran during 20 years increased from 0.26 per 100,000 of the population in 2000 to 1.53 in 2019. Conclusion The incidence of pediatric MS in Iran is high, and the development of diagnostic practices in the past decade in Iran has contributed to the detection of this high incidence.

Multiple sclerosis incidence rate in southern Iran: a Bayesian epidemiological study

BackgroundMultiple Sclerosis (MS) remains to be a public health challenge, due to its unknown biological mechanisms and clinical impacts on young people. The prevalence of this disease in Iran is reported to be 5.30 to 74.28 per 100,000-person. Because of high prevalence of this disease in Fars province, the purpose of this study was to assess the spatial pattern of MS incidence rate by modeling both the associations s of spatial dependence between neighboring regions and risk factors in a Bayesian Poisson model, which can lead to the improvement of health resource allocation decisions.MethodData from 5468 patients diagnosed with MS were collected, according to the McDonald’s criteria. New cases of MS were reported by the MS Society of Fars province from 1991 until 2016. The association between the percentage of people with low vitamin D intake, smoking, abnormal BMI and alcohol consumption in addition to spatial structure in a Bayesian spatio-temporal hierarchical model were used to determine the relative risk and trend of MS incidence rate in 29 counties of Fars province.ResultsCounty-level crude incidence rates ranged from 0.22 to 11.31 cases per 100,000-person population. The highest relative risk was estimated at 1.80 in the county of Shiraz, the capital of Fars province, while the lowest relative risk was estimated at 0.11 in Zarindasht county in southern of Fars. The percentages of vitamin D supplementation intake and smoking were significantly associated with the incidence rate of MS. The results showed that 1% increase in vitamin D supplementation intake is associated with 2% decrease in the risk of MS and 1% increase in smoking is associated with 16% increase in the risk of MS.ConclusionBayesian spatio-temporal analysis of MS incidence rate revealed that the trend in the south and south east of Fars province is less steep than the mean trend of this disease. The lower incidence rate was associated with a higher percentage of vitamin D supplementation intake and a lower percentage of smoking. Previous studies have also shown that smoking and low vitamin D, among all covariates or risk factors, might be associated with high incidence of MS.

Epidemiological Evidence of the Recent Surge in MS in Asia and Australia: A Systematic Review

Context: Recently, the incidence and prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) have increased drastically in different regions of the world, including Asia. The present study aimed to systematically review the recent MS epidemiology in Asia, New Zealand, and Australia. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in Medline and Embase databases to retrieve the available studies regarding MS epidemiology in Asia, New Zealand, and Australia. Results: Most of the studies were performed in hospital settings. The female-to-male ratio in the sample populations varied from 1.5:1 in Turkey to 5:1 in Malaysia. The total mean age at the onset of MS varied from the minimum of 28 years in Hong Kong to the maximum of 36 years in the United Arab Emirates. Among 16 pertinent studies in this regard, seven addressed the incidence rate of MS, and 13 addressed the prevalence of the disease. The highest prevalence rate was reported to be respectively 124.2 and 148.06 in Australia and Iran versus 2.73 in Malaysia (06 per 100,000 population), while a higher incidence rate was estimated at 6.88 and 6.7 per 100,000 population in Kuwait and Australia, respectively compared to the lower incidence rate per 100,000 population in China (0.2 in females, 0.12 in males). Conclusions: According to the results, the prevalence of MS has increased in Asia, while the prevalence of MS in this continent is lower compared to the rates reported in Australia, Europe, and North America.

18-year temporal trend of multiple sclerosis in southern Iran

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) imposes significant burdens on patients, their families, and national healthcare systems particularly when there is a resource constraint. Proper prioritization and resource allocation are therefore essential for any effective disease management. Accordingly, we sought to assess the temporal profile of MS incidence over the past two decades in southeast Iran. Methods: A longitudinal design was employed using data from the Iranian multiple sclerosis registry system from March 2001 to March 2019 (n=6034). Annual age-standardized incidence rates of MS (cases of clinically isolated syndrome were also included) were calculated and the trend of incidence from 2001 to 2018 was analyzed. Results: The age-adjusted incidence rate of MS raised from 1.72/100,000 in 2001 to 11.29/100,000 in 2018 (average of 18-year incidence rate was 6.30/100,000), indicating a notable rise in the incidence of MS (P-Value<0.001). However, the female to male ratio of 3.62 remained relatively stable during the study period. Conclusion: Our study suggests that, in Fars province, the incidence of MS has been remarkably rising over the past two decades. We recommend further studies to better understand the determinants of this pattern. Implementing effective policies in lowering the burden of MS is another important step in this regard.

Temporal trends of incidence and prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Razavi Khorasan Province, Northeast Iran.

The prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the Persian Gulf countries has been significantly increasing during the past decades. This study was conducted for investigating the prevalence and incidence of MS in Northeast Iran (Khorasan Razavi province). This cross-sectional study was conducted during 1 January 1988 and 23 September 2018. All patients with a clinically definite diagnosis of MS according to the McDonald criteria (2005) and MRI along with the medical diagnosis, recorded in the Khorasan MS society, were considered for calculation of crude and age-standardized prevalence, and incidence rates of MS. The periodic incidence rates were calculated based on the year of onset of MS. Also, we calculated gender ratios for prevalence and incidence rates. The mean age-standardized prevalence and incidence rates of MS in the Khorasan Razavi were 8.69 (95% CI 8.05-9.41) per 100,000 (3.99 (95% CI 3.39-4.74) for males, 13.49 (95% CI 12.37-14.76) for females). Age-standardized prevalence was 48.87 (95% CI 48.37-49.35) per 100,000 (22.47 (95% CI 22.01-22.93) for males, 75.65 (95% CI 74.80-76.51) for females). Also, the mean incidence and prevalence for Mashhad County as capital of province were 11.38 and 59.09 per 100,000 populations, respectively. The female/male ratio was 3.33 for all age groups. Our results showed that this region is a high-risk area for MS like central region of Iran. Our results revealed that the prevalence and incidence of MS in the study area have increased during the recent decades with a sharp slope.

Epidemiology, treatment patterns and healthcare utilizations in multiple sclerosis in Taiwan

“Real-world” data on the nationwide epidemiology and treatment patterns of multiple sclerosis (MS) is very scarce in Asia. This study is aim to evaluate the 10-years trends in epidemiology and treatment patterns of MS with Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Database (NHIRD). Patients aged 20 years or older and were newly diagnosed with MS between 2007 and 2016 were identified. The crude incidences of MS were presented annually and stratified by sex and age. Baseline characteristics and treatment patterns, particularly disease-modifying drugs (DMDs), were also analyzed. This study included 555 MS patients (mean age was 36.9 and 74.4% were female). The crude incidence rate of MS decreased slightly from 0.43 per 100,000 persons in 2007 to 0.24 per 100,000 persons in 2015. The female to male ratios remained mainly between 2 to 3. Approximately 80% of MS patients received initial DMDs, with interferon β-1a as the dominant one. Furthermore, 37.5% of MS patients received subsequent DMDs, with fingolimod being the most frequently used. The median times from diagnosis to initial and to subsequent DMDs were 77 and 1239 days, respectively. This nationwide study provides up-to-date and sophisticated estimates of MS epidemiology and treatment pattern in “real-world” setting in Taiwan.

Socioeconomic determinants of global distribution of multiple sclerosis: an ecological investigation based on Global Burden of Disease data

BackgroundSocioeconomic factors may be involved in risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), either indirectly or as confounding factors. In this study two comprehensive indicators reflecting socioeconomic differences, including the Human Development Index (HDI) and Prosperity Index (PI), were used to assess the impact of these factors on the worldwide distribution of MS.MethodsThe data for this global ecological study were obtained from three comprehensive databases including the Global Burden of Disease (as the source of MS indices), United Nations Development Programme (source for HDI) and the Legatum Institute Database for PI. MS indices (including prevalence, incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years) were all analyzed in the form of age- and sex-standardized. Correlation and regression analyses were used to investigate the relationship between HDI and PI and their subsets with MS indices.ResultsAll MS indices were correlated with HDI and PI. It was also found that developed countries had significantly higher prevalence and incidence rates of MS than developing countries. Education and governance from the PI, and gross national income and expected years of schooling from the HDI were more associated with MS. Education was significantly related to MS indices (p < 0.01) in both developed and developing countries.ConclusionIn general, the difference in income and the socioeconomic development globally have created a landscape for MS that should be studied in more detail in future studies.

Is the sharp increasing trend of multiple sclerosis incidence real in Iran?

BackgroundSome epidemiologic studies have reported a sharp increase in multiple sclerosis (MS) incidence in different provinces in Iran. This report aimed to investigate more closely the increasing trend of MS incidence in the past 10 years in Iran.MethodsIn this longitudinal study, the data for all MS patients meeting the McDonald criteria were obtained from a national registry, coordinated by the Ministry of Health (MOH). Joinpoint (JP) regression was used for time trend analysis of MS incidence and determine the optimal number of significant joinpoints. Finally, an annual percentage change (APC) in MS incidence for each segment of the trend line was estimated with 95% confidence interval.ResultsThe mean age of the patients and the mean annual incidence rate of MS were 30.9 ± 1.1 and 5.3 ± 1.9 per 100,000 population, respectively. The overall incidence rate of MS had increased significantly from 2.14 in 2006 to its peak (7.5) in 2014, per 100,000 population (APC = 12%, P < 0.001). The first JP was observed in 2011 in both male and female groups. The overall APC in the first segment was 22.6% (17.2–28.2%, p < 0.01). Besides, the corresponding APC values for males and females were 22.1% (14.7–30%, p < 0.01) and 22.5% (17.5–27.8%, p < 0.01), respectively. After 2011, the MS incidence underwent a more or less decreasing trend in both genders.ConclusionContrary to previous studies, the MS incidence trend in Iran was rising just before 2011, and in the recent decade, Iran has a stable rate of MS cases.