Premium
Myasthenia gravis incidence in a general N orth A tlantic isolated population
Author(s) -
Joensen P.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/ane.12270
Subject(s) - myasthenia gravis , incidence (geometry) , medicine , population , pediatrics , neuromuscular disease , confidence interval , disease , demography , environmental health , physics , sociology , optics
Objective There are no previous studies undertaken about myasthenia gravis in the F aroe I slands. The aim of this study was to establish the incidence of onset of this disease in the F aroese population. Method Patients were ascertained and registered prospectively from 1986 to 2013 when they were examined at the N eurological C linic of the F aroese N ational H ospital or at a private neurological practice, which constitutes all the available neurological services in the F aroe I slands. Result Twelve new diagnoses were made over a 27‐year period, providing an incidence density rate of 9.4 per million person‐years (95% confidence limit 4.9–16.5). At presentation, nine of 12 patients had generalized myasthenia gravis and two patients had pure ocular disease, and in one patient, the symptoms were restricted to the bulbo‐facial muscles. The sex ratio was 2:1, F/M. In nine of the cases, a positive result of acetylcholine receptor antibody assay was documented. In all patients, there was a beneficial response to anticholinesterase administration. Conclusion The result yielded no strong evidence of a difference in incidence between that found in the F aroe I slands and those in most E uropean studies, apart from recent studies from L ondon, UK ; N orway; S pain, and I taly in which incidences from 21 to 30 per million person‐years had been reported.