title: Clinical characteristics of patients with multiple sclerosis enrolled in a new registry in Egypt.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidemiological studies of multiple sclerosis (MS) are lacking in Egypt.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the characteristics of Egyptian patients with multiple sclerosis in a new registry in a major tertiary referral centre in Cairo, Egypt.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were from the project MS database of the Multiple Sclerosis Unit at Ain Shams University Hospitals (N=950). We conducted a detailed medical history and examination including the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Females represented 72% of subjects (female: male ratio 2.57:1). The mean age of disease onset was 26.1±7.6 years. Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) was the most common presentation (74.6%). Visual or sensory symptoms were the most common at presentation with RRMS, while motor symptoms were the most common presentation in other types of MS. Time to diagnosis was delayed up to 2 years in 27.8% of patients. The mean EDSS score was 3.6±2.1; 55% had EDSS≤3. About half (49%) received a disease-modifying drug. Progressive MS and motor presentation were associated with higher disability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first documented MS registry from Egypt. The clinical characteristics of MS in Egypt was similar to other Arab countries and western countries. MS is more common among females in Egypt, with RRMS being the most common presentation. Visual symptoms and motor symptoms were the most common presentations in RRMS and progressive MS, respectively. Our findings also highlight the value of establishing registries in Egypt in order to be able to study, prospectively, the clinical course of the disease, the response to various DMD's and the epidemiology of MS in Egypt.
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. Electronic address: magdzakaria@live.com.
authors.forename: Magd
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zakaria
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Dina A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Zamzam
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Abdel Hafeez
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mahmoud S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Swelam
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Shaimaa S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Khater
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mai F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Fahmy
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ayman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdel Hady
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fouad
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Azza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdel Nasser
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hany
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aref
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gadallah
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012042:Registries; D012737:Sex Factors; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Clinical characteristics; Egypt; Multiple sclerosis