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Possible Delayed Diagnoses in Younger Patients, Men
Neurology; ePub 2018 Mar 16; Rotstein, Chen, et al
In a large, population-based multiple sclerosis (MS) cohort, researchers found stable incidence and increasing prevalence of MS. Furthermore, a spike in incidence in 2010 among younger patients and men at a time of widespread media coverage of MS suggests that these groups may be vulnerable to delayed diagnosis. Researchers identified MS cases from 1996 to 2013 by applying a validated algorithm to health administrative data. They found:
- The prevalence of MS increased by 69% from 1.57 per 1,000 in 1996 (n=12,155) to 2.65 in 2013 (n=28,192).
- Incidence remained relatively stable except for a spike in 2010, followed by a subsequent decline in 2011–2013, particularly among young people and men.
- Mortality decreased by 33% from 26.7 per 1,000 to 18.0 per 1,000.
- The incidence sex ratio was stable from 1996 to 2009, then declined in 2010, with partial rebound by 2013.
Citation:
Rotstein DL, Chen H, Wilton AS, et al. Temporal trends in multiple sclerosis prevalence and incidence in a large population. [Published online ahead of print March 16, 2018]. Neurology. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000005331.