Region with persistent high frequency of multiple sclerosis in Croatia and Slovenia

Peterlin, Borut; Ristiæ, Smiljana; Sepèiæ, Juraj; Vračko, Beatrika Končan; Rako, Andreja; Lovreèiæ, Luca; Brajenoviæ-Miliæ, Bojana; Rude, Josip; Materljan, Eris; Kapoviæ, Miljenko

doi:10.1016/j.jns.2006.04.002

« Previous Next »Journal of the Neurological Sciences
Volume 247, Issue 2 , Pages 169-172, 25 September 2006

Region with persistent high frequency of multiple sclerosis in Croatia and Slovenia

Borut Peterlin
- Division of Medical Genetics, UMC, Ljubljana, Šlajmerjeva 3, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +385 1 5401137; fax: +385 1 5401137.
Smiljana Ristiæ
- Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia
Juraj Sepèiæ
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia
Beatrika Končan Vračko
- Department of Neurology, UMC, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Andreja Rako
- Health Center Kocevje, Kocevje, Slovenia
Luca Lovreèiæ
- Division of Medical Genetics, UMC, Ljubljana, Šlajmerjeva 3, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Bojana Brajenoviæ-Miliæ
- Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia
Josip Rude
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia
Eris Materljan
- Teaching Unit for Primary Care, School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia
Miljenko Kapoviæ
- Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia

Received 17 November 2004; received in revised form 10 April 2006; accepted 10 April 2006.

Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS), and to determine the clinical characteristics and the occurrence of familial MS in the Gorski kotar–Koèevje region, which was previously considered to be a region of high prevalence of MS.

Methods

All clinically and laboratory supported definite cases of MS according to Poser's criteria, living residents of the chosen area on June 1, 1999 were included in the study. The patients were ascertained through national case registers for MS at the University Medical Centers (Rijeka and Ljubljana), registries of the national associations of MS patients, as well as from the medical records of regional outpatient clinics.

Results

The crude annual prevalence per 100,000 population was 151.9 (95% CI 123.2–187.4). 28.7% of patients had a history of MS among first-, second-, or third-degree relatives. The frequency of primary progressive course of disease was 23.5%. The sex ratio (F/M) was 1.41.