title: Increasing prevalence and incidence rates of multiple sclerosis in Kuwait.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Kuwait was considered as low to intermediate risk area for MS.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and incidence rates of MS among Kuwaiti nationals based on 2011 population census.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2010 and April 2013 using the newly developed national MS registry in Kuwait. Patients with a diagnosis of MS according to 2010 revised McDonald criteria were identified. The crude, age- and sex-specific prevalence and incidence rates among Kuwaiti patients were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1176 MS patients were identified of which 927 (78.8%) were Kuwaitis and 249 (21.2%) were expatriates. Among Kuwaiti patients, female to male ratio was 1.8:1 with a mean age of 35.40 ± 10.99 years. The prevalence rate of MS was 85.05 per 100,000 persons (95% CI: 82.80 - 87.04). There was a peak in prevalence among patients aged 30-39 years. The incidence of MS was 6.88 per 100,000 persons (95% CI 5.52-8.55). Between 2003 and 2011, the incidence increased 3.22 and 2.54 times in women and men respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Kuwait is considered a high-risk area for MS. The significant increase in prevalence and incidence rates may represent a true increase despite the improvement in case ascertainment and case definition.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Kuwait.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alroughani
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Behbahani
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thussu
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ashkanani
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nagarajan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Al-Hashel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007730:Kuwait / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Epidemiology; Kuwait; incidence; multiple sclerosis; prevalence