Multiple sclerosis in Pakistan

Mult Scler. 2007 Jun;13(5):668-9. doi: 10.1177/1352458506072339. Epub 2007 Feb 9.

Abstract

We describe retrospective data from the largest series of patients (n=142) with multiple sclerosis (MS) from Pakistan. Mean age at onset was 27 years, with a female to male ratio of 1.45:1. The disease onset was polysymptomatic in 75% patients. Motor weakness was the most common onset symptom (70%), followed by sensory symptoms (45%). Optico-spinal type of MS was seen in only 3% of patients The course was relapsing-remitting (RR) in 81%, primary progressive (PP) in 21%, and secondary progressive (SP) in 4% of patients. Almost three-fourths of the patients were moderately (45%) or severely (31%) disabled at the time of evaluation. Two-thirds of patients with severe disability had a mean disease duration of only 5.2 years. In conclusion, MS is not uncommon in Pakistan, and many patients were found to have severe disability despite short disease duration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Interferon-beta / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Methotrexate / therapeutic use
  • Middle Aged
  • Mitoxantrone / therapeutic use
  • Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / drug therapy
  • Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / epidemiology*
  • Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / drug therapy
  • Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / epidemiology*
  • Optic Neuritis / drug therapy
  • Optic Neuritis / epidemiology
  • Pakistan / epidemiology
  • Prevalence
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Steroids / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Immunologic Factors
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Steroids
  • Interferon-beta
  • Mitoxantrone
  • Methotrexate