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Disability and mortality in multiple sclerosis in Western Norway
Author(s) -
Midgard R.,
Riise T.,
Kvåle G.,
Nyland H.
Publication year - 1996
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/j.1600-0404.1996.tb00001.x
Subject(s) - incidence (geometry) , demography , multiple sclerosis , medicine , disability pension , mortality rate , pension , gerontology , population , physics , finance , psychiatry , sociology , optics , economics
– Continued studies of frequency trends in carefully selected sites around the world can provide clues to the cause of multiple sclerosis (MS). Material and methods – Based on information from three different, semi‐independant sources of information, we have examined the temporal trends in the average annual age‐adjusted rates of disability pension incidence, mortality, and incidence of MS from 1966 to 1991 in More and Romsdal County, Norway. Results – The average annual age‐adjusted disability pension incidence rates (1966–68 = 3.62/100,000; 1990–91 = 7.33/100,000), the mortality rates (1966–68=0.91/100,000; 1990–91 = 1.88/100,000), and the incidence rates (1966–68 = 4.22/100,000; 1990–91 = 5.02/100,000) all showed a statistically significant increase. The difference in the development of MS‐specific disability pension prevalence rates in the county compared to the nation is notable. Conclusions – We consider that the increase in disability pension incidence, mortality, and incidence of MS is of biological significance. Thus three different sources of information corroborate corresponding trends indicating that better case ascertainment and improved diagnostic facilities only partially can explain the reported MS increase in western Norway.