Epidemiology of Multiple Sclerosis in Turkey; A Ten-Year Trend in Rural Cities

Abstract

Objective: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that principally affects young adults. Recent studies from different parts of the world have shown that the incidence and prevalence of MS is increasing each year. No data are available on this subject for Turkey. With this study, we aimed to evaluate the 10-year trend of MS prevalence in two rural cities of Turkey for the first time. Materials and Methods: The study was designed as a cross-sectional, community-based, descriptive epidemiologic study. Geyve and Kandıra districts were screened using a validated questionnaire between 2016-2017. During the field study, all suspected participants were invited to a public health center for re-examination along with their laboratory and imaging findings. Local state hospitals were used to complete this process if required and diagnosis was then confirmed. The revised McDonald 2010 criteria were used in diagnosing MS. Results were compared with a previous study that was conducted 10 years prior by the same team using an identical methodology. Results: Seventeen thousand one hundred people were screened in Geyve and 12,120 people were screened in Kandıra. Ten people were diagnosed as having MS in Geyve and four were diagnosed in Kandıra. The total prevalence was found as 47.9/100,000. The female/male ratio was 2.5. Nine patients had relapsing remitting MS, four had secondary progressive MS, and one patient had primary progressive MS. When compared with the previous study, the age-standardized prevalence was not statistically different (49.6/100,000; 48.5/100,000 p=0.955). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the prevalence of MS is not increasing in two rural cities in Turkey.