Seasonal distribution and evolving forms of multiple sclerosis patients diagnosed from April 2004 to November 2007

• Autor(a) principal: Fundora-Hernández,Hermes
• Data de Publicação: 2009
• Outros Autores: Dorta-Contreras,Alberto J., Socias-López,Maray, Fraga-Santana,Silvana, Villatoro-Rodríguez,Silvia Nicté, Padilla-Docal,Bárbara, Noris-García,Elena, Bu-Coifiu-Fanego,Raisa, González-Hernández,Marlén
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X2009000400016
• topic: multiple sclerosis; epidemiology; environmental factors

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) was first reported in Cuba in 1965. The most frequent appearance is observed in the first six months of the year. OBJECTIVE: To determine the seasonal distribution and evolving forms of MS patients diagnosed with the disease between April 2004 and November 2007. METHOD: Twenty-one patients with suspected MS and 42 outbreaks were studied. Patients were classified according to Lublin and Revingold's criteria for clinical forms and according to McDonald. RESULTS: Most patients were classified in outbreak and remission and only two patients classified as primary-progressive multiple sclerosis. The higher number of outbreaks occurred in the first two quarters of the year. CONCLUSION: It is recommended to study further weather variables that may be related to the emergence of these outbreaks in our environment.