OBJECTIVES:
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory
demyelinating disease of the
central nervous system. There are few
reports on the
burden of disease of MS, worldwide. The authors aim to estimate
burden of disease and estimate the epidemiologic indexes of MS in
Korea using available epidemiologic data.
METHODS:
Epidemiologic indexes were computed using DISMOD II
software based on
prevalence from nationwide
survey,
incidence estimated from extrapolation,
mortality from National
Statistics Office, and duration of
disease from
literature as input indexes. We calculated
disability-adjusted life year (
DALY) as a
measure of
premature mortality and disability, equivalent to years of healthy
life lost due to a given condition.
RESULTS:
The
incidence of MS in
Korea was 0.1 per 100,000, higher in
female than in
male. The highest
incidence was estimated in the
age group between 35 and 44 years in
male and
age group between 25 and 29 years in
female. Total
burden of disease of MS was 1,394
DALY, comprised of 292 (21%)
years of life lost and 1,101 (79%)
years lived with disability. The mean
age at onset of MS was 33 years old in
men and 32 years old in
female. Estimated duration of
disease was 35 years in
men and 40 years in
female. Most of the
DALY of MS occurred in the
adult population between 25 and 54 years of age.
CONCLUSION:
Although MS is a
rare disease in
Korea, most of the
DALY arises from young people, which results in a major
financial burden on the
patient,
family,
health system and society.