title: Prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Csongrád County, Hungary.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent epidemiological studies were mainly based on the Poser or other diagnostic criteria. There have been no previous data from Hungary, which were assessed with the more up-to-date McDonald criteria and which give comparable standardized data from the region.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from the MS Register of the Department of Neurology at the University of Szeged. All possible and definitive patients with MS living in the county on the prevalence day were included in the study. Direct standardization was based on the European standard population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On 1 January 2013, 379 registered patients with MS were alive in the county, that is, a crude MS prevalence of 89.8/100,000, 46.6/100,000 in males and 128.6/100,000 in females; standardized prevalence: 83.7/100,000 (42.3/100,000 for males, 122.6/100,000 for females). The distribution of the clinical forms: 11% clinically isolated syndrome, 69% relapsing-remitting form, 14% secondary progressive form, 6% primary progressive form. Patients with no or only mild symptoms comprised 91.9% of the relapsing-remitting population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first standardized epidemiological study based on the McDonald criteria in Central Europe. Hungary is a medium-risk country as concerns the prevalence of MS. The crude prevalence appears to have increased relative to previous reports from the county.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Faculty of General Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Centre, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zsiros
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fricska-Nagy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Füvesi
authors.forename: Z T
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Kincses
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Langane
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Paulik
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vécsei
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bencsik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: Hungary; epidemiology; multiple sclerosis; prevalence