Prevalence of Familial Multiple Sclerosis in Isfahan, Iran



Ashtari F¹ ; Shaygannejad V¹ ; Heidari F² ; Akbari M³ Show Affiliations
Source: Journal of Isfahan Medical School Published:2011

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory and degenerative disease of central nerves, in which myelin appears as several large and small plaques in cerebrospinal white matter. The aim of this study was investigate the familial prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis. Methods: This cross- sectional study was performed from the beginning to the end of 2007 on 539 MS patients in Isfahan, Iran. The patients were selected among all of the MS people who referred to the MS clinics of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences by the simple random sampling. Finally 593 patients were studied; their disease was proved based on the McDonald values by 2 neurologists. Findings: The average of patients' age was 33.44 ± 0.9. 493 patients (83.1%) were female. 85% had partial disability and 83.3%of them had Relapsing Remitting kind of this disease. 53.5% of them had 2 or more hospitalizations. 119 of them (20.1%) had familial history of MS which among them in 47 (40.5%) patients it was in first degree relatives, in 26 (22.6%) was in second degree relatives and in 46 (36%) was in third degree. Conclusion: According to the achieved results it seems the familial prevalence of MS in Isfahan, Iran is more than other regions, so it is recommended to do more etiologic studies based on the genetic and environmental factors.