title: A systematic review of the incidence and prevalence of long-term neurological conditions in the UK.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Updated, robust estimates of the incidence and prevalence of rare long-term neurological conditions in the UK are not available. Global estimates may be misrepresentative as disease aetiology may vary by location.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To systematically review the incidence and prevalence of long-term neurological conditions in the UK since 1988.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medline (January 1988 to January 2009), Embase (January 1988 to January 2009), CINAHL (January 1988 to January 2009) and Cochrane CENTRAL databases.
  
  
  METHODS
  UK population-based incidence/prevalence studies of long-term neurological conditions since 1988. Exclusion criteria included inappropriate diagnoses and incomprehensive case ascertainment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Articles were included based on the selection criteria. Data were extracted from articles with ranges of incidence and prevalence reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight studies met the criteria (3 on motor neurone disease; 4 on Huntington's disease; 1 on progressive supranuclear palsy). The incidence of motor neurone disease ranged from 1.06 to 2.4/100,000 person-years. The prevalence ranged from 4.02 to 4.91/100,000. The prevalence of Huntington's disease ranged from 4.0 to 9.94/100,000. The prevalence of progressive supranuclear palsy ranged from 3.1 to 6.5/100,000.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The review updates the incidence/prevalence of long-term neurological conditions. Future epidemiological studies must incorporate comprehensive case ascertainment methods and strict diagnostic criteria.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Population Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. t.j.hoppitt@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hoppitt
authors.forename: Hardev
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pall
authors.forename: Mel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calvert
authors.forename: Paramjit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: Guiqing
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramsay
authors.forename: Gill
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: Jacky
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Conduit
authors.forename: Cath
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sackley
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001259:Ataxia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002607:Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015994:Incidence; D019578:Multiple System Atrophy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016262:Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013494:Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology