title: Description and characteristics of 81 patients attending the Reference Center for Multiple Sclerosis of the coastal region of the state of São Paulo-Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To register multiple sclerosis (MS) patients residing in the coastal region of the State of São Paulo (CEREM Litoral Paulista).
  
  
  METHODS
  Individual interviews with identified cases of MS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  81 individuals with diagnosis of MS agreed to come for registration (62 females [76.5%], 19 males [23.5%]). 65% of all patients were residents of the city of Santos. The mean age of these patients was 43 years (14 to 74 years), and the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was < or = 5.5 in 76.5% of the cases. 82.7% of the assessed patients presented the relapsing/remitting form of MS. 81.5% of all patients were undergoing treatment with immunomodulators.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to their clinical profile, patients seem to come to CEREM Litoral Paulista for prescription of immunomodulators. There is a clear need to identify other cases in the region and to allow other forms of treatment to be put into practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health for the State of São Paulo, DIR XIX, CEREM Litoral Paulista. yara@bsnet.com.br
authors.forename: Yara Dadalti
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Fragoso
authors.forename: Ana Patricia Perez
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Fiore
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D019352:Censuses; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors