RESUMO
Background:: Multiple sclerosis [MS] is a chronic inflammatory and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, which is accompanied by significant disabilities. Although there are some published data regarding the epidemiological features of MS in other parts of Iran, scarce data are available about the prevalence and demographic characteristics of MS in Pars province. The current study aimed to address the prevalence and incidence rate of MS as well as the temporal trend of the disease in Pars province, southern Iran
Methods: This historical retrospective cohort study was carried out in Pars Multiple Sclerosis Society affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. All the consecutive patients who fulfilled 2010 McDonald criteria for definite MS were included in the study. The patients' gender, age at time of diagnosis, education, and clinical course were recorded. The prevalence and incidence rates were also calculated
Results: This study was conducted on 3,354 patients. Among the patients, 2,689 [80.2%] were female and 665 [19.8%] were male. The female/male ratio was 4.04. The point prevalence rate of the disease was 72.1/100,000 persons in October 2013. This index was 116.5 per 100,000 persons in females [95% CI: 113.4-119.6] and 28.3 per 100,000 persons in males [95% CI: 26.8-29.9]. The mean annual incidence rate was 5.2/100,000 from 2002 until 2012
Conclusion: Considering Kurtzke classification, Pars is a high-risk area for MS and women are affected more compared with men. Moreover, the incidence rate sharply increased in the last decade
RESUMO
To investigate possible immunological humoral correlates innewly diagnosed adult-onset generalized tonic-clonic epilepsy among Iranian patients before and after sodiumvalproate treatment. 72 adult patients with newly diagnosed idiopathic generalized tonic-clonic epilepsy were recruited. Serum antinuclear antibodies [ANA], anti-cardiolipin antibodies [aCL], anti-dsDNAantibodies, total serumimmunoglobulins [IgM, IgG, IgA] and C3 and C4 complements were determined before and after 12 months of therapy with sodiumvalproate. Similar parameters were also measured in 32 age and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Patients group had a significantly greater level of IgG class aCL [30.6%versus 12.4%, P = 0.004] and anti-dsDNAantibodies [23.9%versus 0%, P = 0.001] when compared with healthy volunteers, however, ANAtitre was relatively the same in both groups. Sodiumvalproate significantly decreased anti-dsDNAantibodiles [P= 0.002], IgM concentrations [P = 0.034], and increased the number of ANApositive patients [P = 0.002]. Changes in serumlevel of autoantibodies in patients with new onset idiopathic generalized convulsion were found to be high. These abnormalities are associated with both seizure disorders per se and also antiepileptic drugs.We suggest that in epileptic patients with an autoimmune basis, administration of anti-epileptic drugs having modulatory effects on immune systemshould be considered