title: Prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis in the Republic of Moldova.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The occurrence of multiple sclerosis (MS) increases in populations featuring both high and low disease burden, and variations across regions at the same latitude are reported. MS epidemiological data in Eastern Europe are scarce and out of date. We report on sex- and age-specific prevalence of MS in the Republic of Moldova.
  
  
  METHODS
  Benefitting from a nationwide survey aimed to quantify the MS burden in Moldovans (3,559,541 population in 2012), multiple epidemiological sources were scrutinized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On prevalence day, December 31, 2012, 747 MS patients (McDonald criteria) resided in the study area, yielding a crude prevalence of 20.9 per 100,000 (95% CI 14.7-27.1), 25.7 (95% CI 20.5-30.5) in women and 15.8 (95% CI 12.2-19.3) in men (F:M ratio of 1.63), and standardized estimates of 20.2, 24.3 and 15.5 per 100,000, respectively. Prevalence was highest in the age group 40-49 years (43.9 per 100,000) and higher in rural (72.6%) than in urban (27.4%) areas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report on sex- and age-specific prevalence of MS in the Republic of Moldova, which was lower than in Europe on average, but consistent with that of neighboring countries, Romania and Ukraine. Moldovans represent a population wherein MS natural history is not yet influenced by use of disease-modifying drugs.
authors: Department of Neurology, University of Medicine, N. Testemix0163;anu, Republic of Moldova.
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Marcoci
authors: Vitalie
authors: V
authors: Lisnic
authors: Mihail
authors: M
authors: Gavriliuc
authors: Olesea
authors: O
authors: Odainic
authors: Marina
authors: M
authors: Sangheli
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Belenciuc
authors: Maurizio Angelo
authors: MA
authors: Leone
authors: Ilaria
authors: I
authors: Casetta
authors: Maura
authors: M
authors: Pugliatti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008966:Moldova / Q000453:epidemiology; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult