Multiple sclerosis prevalence

A.R. Massaro, D.D. Pascalis, A. Berto-lotto, G. Biasi, and P. Gallo. 2001. Inter-feron-beta (INF-beta) antibodies in inter-feron-betala- and interferon-betalb-treated multiple sclerosis patients. Prevalence, kinetics, cross-reactivity, and factors enhancing interferon-beta immuno-genicity in vivo. Eur. Cytokine Netw. 12 56-61. 

Although isolated reports of psychotic delusional symptoms and depression continue to be published (404), recent controlled trials or longitudinal studies have not provided evidence of an increase in depression scores or in the rate of depression in patients treated with interferon beta (SEDA-27, 389). In a meta-analysis of seven trials in 1215 patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis, the incidence of depression was 16% and did not differ between interferon-beta and controls, but the scales used to assess depression were specified in only three trials (405). Using a public reimbursement database for multiple sclerosis, the prevalence and incidence of depression and depression scores were not different in 163 patients treated with interferon beta or glatiramer, but the study was poorly controlled for potential biases (406). Overall, the current data suggest that interferon-beta is not substantially associated with depression. 

Prevalence of multiple sclerosis in a residential area bordering an oil refinery. Neurology 63 1796-1802. 

Pugliatti M, Solinas G, Sotgiu S, Castiglia P, Rosati G (2002) Multiple sclerosis distribution in northern Sardinia Spatial cluster analysis of prevalence. Neurology 58 277-282. 

Midgard R, Riise T, Nyland H (1991) Epidemiologic trends in multiple sclerosis in More and Romsdal, Norway a prevalence/inci-dence study in a stable population. Neurology 41 887-92. 

A comparison of the geographical incidence and prevalence of hepatitis B with that of multiple sclerosis, which shows large differences Scandinavia and Northern Europe have the highest rates of multiple sclerosis and the lowest rates of hepatitis B infection, whereas in Africa and in Asia there are very low rates of multiple sclerosis and the highest rates of hepatitis B infection. If the virus does not cause multiple sclerosis, it is unlikely that the vaccine can do so. 

Anderson DW, Ellenberg JH, Leventhal CM, et al. Revised estimate of the prevalence of multiple sclerosis in theUnited States. Ann Neurol 1992 31 333-336. 

Generally, autoimmune diseases are perceived to be rare however, when all autoimmune diseases are combined, the estimated prevalence of 3-5% is not rare, which underlines their importance in the public health sector. Because of problems in designing and standardizing epidemiological studies and because of the fact that only limited data are available, this prevalence may be underestimated (Jacobson et al., 1997). There is epidemiological evidence of increasing prevalence of some autoimmune diseases (e.g. diabetes mellitus type 1, multiple sclerosis), although the rates for other diseases (specifically, rheumatoid arthritis, or RA) appear to be... 

Rosati G (2001) The prevalence of multiple sclerosis in the world an update. Neurol Sci, 22 117-139. 

Tang L, Benjaponpitak S, DeKruyff RH, Umetsu DT (1998) Reduced prevalence of allergic disease in patients with multiple sclerosis is associated with enhanced IL-12 production. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 102 428-435. 

One prevalent neurological disease among human adults is multiple sclerosis (MS), usually characterized by spasms and weakness in one or more limbs, bladder dysfunction, local sensory losses, and visual disturbances. This disorder—the prototype demyelinating disease—is caused by patchy loss of myelin in areas of the brain and spinal cord. In MS patients, conduction of action potentials by the demyellnated neurons is slowed, and the... 

There is an epidemic of immune-mediated disease in highly-developed industrialized countries. Such diseases, like inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis and asthma increase in prevalence as populations adopt modem hygienic practices. These practices prevent exposure to parasitic worms (helminths). Epidemiologic studies surest that people who carry helminths have less immune-mediated disease. Mice colonized with helminths are protected from disease in models of cohtis, encephalitis. Type 1 diabetes and asthma. Clinical trials show that exposure to helminths reduce disease activity in patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn s disease. This chapter reviews some of the work showing that colonization with helminths alters immune responses, against dysregulated inflammation. These helminth-host immune interactions have potentially important implications for the treatment of immune-mediated diseases. 

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