Prevalence and incidence of multiple sclerosis in healthcare district IV of Asturias, Spain.

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory demyelinating autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. Studies conducted in recent years point to an increase in its prevalence and a change in the age profile of patients. This study aims to analyse the prevalence and incidence of multiple sclerosis in healthcare district IV of the region of Asturias, in north-western Spain.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective epidemiological study of the population of said healthcare district with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis according to the 2017 McDonald criteria. The prevalence of the disease was calculated cross-sectionally (prevalence date: December 31, 2022), while the incidence was determined retrospectively over a six-year period, from 2017 to 2022. We gathered data from the registries and databases of the tertiary hospital in healthcare district IV, and from one private hospital. Relevant demographic and clinical data were gathered from electronic records.

Results: The prevalence of multiple sclerosis in the population studied was 198 cases per 100 000 population. The incidence of multiple sclerosis during the study period (2017-2022) was 6.6 cases per 100 000 person-years. On the prevalence date, 66.5% of patients were women and 82.4% presented relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Mean age was 33.98 years at symptom onset and 50.84 years on the prevalence date.

Conclusions: Asturias currently presents the highest multiple sclerosis prevalence rate in Spain; the estimated rate represents an increase with respect to those reported in studies conducted in the same region in the 1990s.