Increasing Incidence of Multiple Sclerosis in the Province of Sassari, Northern Sardinia

Abstract

Sardinia is a high-risk area for multiple sclerosis (MS), with prevalence rates of 150 per 100,000 population. The study included 689 MS patients (female-male ratio 2.6) with disease onset between 1965 and 1999 in the province of Sassari. The mean annual incidence rate increased significantly from 1.1 per 100,000 population in 1965–1969 to 5.8 in 1995–1999, with no significant difference for gender and province sub-areas. The mean age at onset increased significantly during the same period from 25.7 to 30.6 years, while the proportion of patients with progressive initial course declined over time. The marked increase of MS incidence and the change of MS clinical phenotype over time cannot be explained by ascertainment bias only, thus pointing to a corresponding change in the distribution of exogenous risk factors in this highly genetically stable population.

Prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis Door-to-Door Survey in Maltepe, Istanbul, Turkey

“…From the literature, the prevalence of MS in Mediterranean countries appears to be about 50/100,000 [1][2][3][4][5] . We calculated that using a 95% confidence level and a deviation range of 2.5 per 10,000, the number of persons required to be interviewed was 30,745.…”

“…Until relatively recent times, the Southern Mediterranean countries have been considered as areas of low MS prevalence, but the studies undertaken at Sicily and Sardinia showed that the prevalence rate was much higher than previously thought [1][2][3][4][5][6] . However, the prevalence in Cyprus [7] and in the south [4] and north of Spain [8] were similar.…”

Risk assessment does not explain high prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in a large group of Sardinian women

“…30.60, 35.88) of Type 1 diabetes, which is the second highest in the world after Finland [19][20][21][22], and a high prevalence of other autoimmune diseases Type 1 diabetes related, such as Multiple Sclerosis, Celiac Disease, Autoimmune Thyroid Disease and others [23][24][25][26]. For these reasons, Sardinia represents an ideal observatory for investigating genetic and immunological factors.…”

Multiple Sclerosis in Latin America

“…However, lack of adjustment of crude incidence and prevalence rates to a common standard population creates problems in the comparison and interpretation of geographic data [3] . Nonetheless, recent studies indicate an increasing risk of developing MS over time in areas such as Sardinia [4] , Norway [5] , and Sweden [6] , as well as in countries previously considered to have low MS prevalence such as Mexico [7] .…”