title: Multiple sclerosis in Spain: an epidemiological study of the Alcoy health region, Valencia.
abstract: Alcoy is a defined health region in eastern Spain, at 3 degrees E-38 degrees N, with a single neurology department and includes 33 towns with a total population of 133,915 inhabitants. We have evaluated the prevalence and incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) by analysing this region. Six new cases have been detected (2.24/100,000/year) and the prevalence rate was 17.17/100,000, the highest in Spain at the moment. However, we found an irregular distribution in the different towns in so far that 15 of our 23 patients lived in a particular subregion, which means a prevalence of 44.59/100,000. Our study shows that the area of Alcoy is a medium MS risk region according to the thesis of Kurzke, although high MS areas may be found, thus confirming that MS distribution in southern Europe is not uniform.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hospital Virgen de los Lirios, Alcoy, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matias-Guiu
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bolumar
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Insa
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Casquero
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Moltó
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calatayud
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aranaz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology