MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: A STUDY OF 318 CASES

Background-Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multi-factorial disease with different epidemiological patterns and clinical presentations in various populations. Study of these different patterns can help us find the possible etiologic factors of this disease. Methods-Following announcement in two national newspapers inviting MS patients to participate in this study, 411 individuals responded. By taking a complete medical history and reviewing medical record documents such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 318 patients were diagnosed with MS and were included in this study. Data was collected by a self-administered questionnaire, which was mailed to the patients. Results-The mean age in this group was 35.4±9.6 years (mean±SD) and the female:male ratio was 1.5:1. The average age of onset for this disease was 26.6±8.1 years (mean±SD). Sensory and visual disturbance were the most common initial presentations with a prevalence of 30.5% and 24.6%, respectively. Conclusion-Data analysis showed that the demographic pattern of MS in Iran is similar to countries in the same geographical region such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Jordan.