Multiple sclerosis in Vest-Agder county, Norway

• Published in: Acta neurologica Scandinavica Vol. 123; no. 6; pp. 396 - 399
• Main Authors: Vatne, A., Mygland, Å., Ljøstad, U.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.06.2011
• Subjects: Adult; Antibodies - analysis; Antibodies - blood; Borrelia antibodies; Borrelia burgdorferi - immunology; Comorbidity - trends; Female; Humans; Immunologic Factors - therapeutic use; immunomodulatory treatment; incidence; Lyme Neuroborreliosis - epidemiology; Lyme Neuroborreliosis - immunology; Male; Middle Aged; multiple sclerosis; Multiple Sclerosis - drug therapy; Multiple Sclerosis - epidemiology; Multiple Sclerosis - immunology; Norway; Norway - epidemiology; Prevalence; Norway
• ISSN: 0001-6314; 1600-0404
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2010.01411.x

Vatne A., Mygland Å., Ljøstad U. Multiple sclerosis in Vest‐Agder county, Norway.
Acta Neurol Scand: 2011: 123: 396–399.
© 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Objective –  To examine multiple sclerosis (MS) prevalence, rate of immunomodulatory treatment and frequency of Borrelia Burgordorferi (Bb) antibodies in Vest‐Agder, Norway. Materials and methods –  Patients in the period 1996–2006 who met the Poser criteria for definitive or probable MS were included. Clinical and demographical data, and presence of Bb antibodies were registered. Results –  A total of 295 patients were identified. The crude prevalence was 180 per 100,000 population (95% CI = 160.9–218.0), age‐adjusted prevalence was 186 per 100,000 population (95% CI = 166.3–225.3). The age‐adjusted incidence rates were 7.5 and 8.0 for 1996–2000 and 2001–2006, respectively. Thirty‐eight per cent were treated with immunomodulatory agents when compared to 28% in the rest of the country. Bb serum antibodies were detected in 7% of patients with MS. Conclusions –  Vest‐Agder county has the highest prevalence of MS reported in Norway, and a high treatment rate. Bb antibodies were not more prevalent than in healthy individuals.