title: Epidemiological characteristics and functional disability of multiple sclerosis patients in kosovo.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic recurrent neurological disease that affects the Central Nervous System. This study aims to determine epidemiological factors that affect the appearance of MS, such as: incidence, prevalence, mortality, case appearance in accordance with the disease phase RRMS, SPMS, PPMS, gender, age, age group, and EDSS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Deals with analyzing diagnosed and treated patients in the Clinic of Neurology in Prishtina during the period of 2003-2012. The research was conducted through a questionnaire applied in the diagnosed cases of MS. Information on patients was gathered from: history of illness, discharge reports and other relevant documents on MS illness. Clinical and epidemiological-descriptive study methods were used. The acquired results are shown through tables, graphics. Statistical processing was conducted with Microsoft Office Excel.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From the total number of doubtful hospitalized cases of demyelinization (644) in the Clinic of Neurology in Prishtina, 412 cases (64%) were diagnosed with MS. For the period of 2003-2012 the prevalence of MS has been 19.6 of patients in 100,000 inhabitants. MS incidence rate was 0.95 of patients in 100,000 inhabitants. MS mortality rate was 0.14 of deceased in 100,000 inhabitants. The ratio female - male is 2.3:1. A larger number of patients fall within the age group of 30-39 years-old. Clinical form trends: RRSM 72.3%, SPSM 22.6%, PPSM 5.1%. The rate of EDSS 78.3% (0-3.5), 14.9% (4-6.5), 6.8% (7-9).
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Neurology, University Clinical Centre, Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Kamber
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zeqiraj
authors.affiliation: University Clinical Centre "Mother Therese", Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Jera
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kruja
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Radiology, University Clinical Centre, Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Serbeze
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kabashi
authors.affiliation: National Health Institute of Kosova, Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Sefedin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muçaj
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D063826:Kosovo / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Clinic of Neurology Prishtina; Multiple Sclerosis; surveyed patients