title: Clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis in Taiwan: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: This study reviewed the clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Taiwanese patients from 1993 to 2001. Of the 75 MS patients with a mean age of onset of 35.6 +/- 12.6 years, the female-to-male ratio was 4.4 (61/14). In 42 (56%) optico-spinal MS (OS-MS) patients, the age of onset (37.6 +/- 11.1 years) tended to be older than conventional MS (C-MS) patients (33.1 +/- 14.1 years, P = 0.08). In 60 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens, raised IgG index (>0.7) and oligoclonal bands were noted in 26 (43.3%) and two (3.3%) cases, respectively. The frequency of raised IgG index was lower in OS-MS (31.3%) than in C-MS (57.1%, P = 0.07). The CSF total protein concentrations were significantly higher in OS-MS (64.5 mg/dL) than in C-MS (46.6 mg/dL, P = 0.047). The mean annual relapse rate was 54.1%, and was significantly higher within the first year (59.7%, P < 0.001). The mean annual relapse rate in OS-MS (62.7%) was significantly higher than in C-MS (41.2%, P=0.01). The differences in the annual relapse rate and total protein concentration in CSF between OS-MS and C-MS suggest probably two distinct immunopathogenesis. The higher first year relapse rate of MS patients in Taiwan may address the importance of early intervention with immunomodulatory therapy.
authors.affiliation: Section of Neuromuscular Diseases, Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and University, Taipei, Taiwan 10591.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Lyu
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Y R
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Ro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D044466:Asian People; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000473:pathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013687:Telencephalon / Q000473:pathology