title: [Factors Influencing Lead Time in Multiple Sclerosis: Survey of Members of the German Multiple Sclerosis Society in Saxony-Anhalt].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Multiple sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system in which the myelin layer is disrupted. Early diagnosis and early therapy are decisive for the course of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  To analyze the time to diagnosis and the factors having an influence on this process, members of the German Multiple Sclerosis Society in Saxony-Anhalt (n = 941) were surveyed. Thanks to a return rate of 424 questionnaires (response rate ≈45 %), the results provide a good overview of MS patients in this region.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Almost 80 % of the respondents were female. The median time to diagnosis was 6.35 years. On average, women were diagnosed 2.93 years later than men (p≤ 0.05; U test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The time to diagnosis has decreased over the last decades. Younger age at the time of the first symptoms seems to be a positive factor for early diagnosis. A recall bias cannot be outruled since all the data are based on individual experience. The results of the self-help group samples cannot be generalized. Further surveys are needed to analyze why it takes over six years to establish the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Paulus
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Hussack
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Kugler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D061345:Early Medical Intervention; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D012955:Societies, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires