ABSTRACT
There are no published studies on the characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients from the south of Brazil. OBJECTIVE: To identify the clinical features of a series of MS patients and to compare to other Brazilian series. METHOD: Retrospective study with 67 patients followed in The MS Reference Center - RS, Brazil during the year of 2008. We analyzed demographic and clinical data. RESULTS: Most were women (74.6 percent), the general average age was 43.5 years old, and the general average EDSS score was 4.1. Of those patients, 81.8 percent had relapsing-remitting MS. Sexual dysfunction prevalence was 31.1 percent in men and 68.9 percent in women (p<0.01). We found a positive correlation (Spearman=0.444, p<0.05) between EDSS and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: This study showed a very similar sample compared to other states of Brazil. Moreover, there was found a high prevalence of sexual dysfunction and a straight relation between EDSS and depressive symptoms.
Não há dados publicados sobre as características clínicas da esclerose múltipla (EM) no estado do Rio Grande do Sul (RS). OBJETIVO: Identificar e comparar as características clínicas de uma série de pacientes com EM no RS com as de outras séries nacionais. MÉTODO: Foram coletados e avaliados dados demográficos e clínicos de 67 pacientes atendidos em nosso centro. RESULTADOS: Houve predomínio de mulheres (74,6 por cento), idade média geral foi de 43,5 anos e EDSS médio de 4,1. O tipo surto-remissão correpondeu a 81,8 por cento. A prevalência de disfunção sexual foi de 31,1 por cento nos homens e 68,9 por cento nas mulheres (p<0,01). Encontrou-se correlação de 0,444 (p<0,05) entre depressão e EDSS. CONCLUSÃO: Este estudo demonstrou uma amostra semelhante às demais amostras brasileiras, apresentando, adicionalmente, elevada prevalência de sintomas sexuais e a estreita associação entre depressão e o grau de incapacidade.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Multiple Sclerosis , Brazil , Depressive Disorder/etiology , Interferon-beta/therapeutic use , Multiple Sclerosis/complications , Multiple Sclerosis/drug therapy , Peptides/therapeutic use , Retrospective Studies , Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological/etiologyABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: There are no published studies on the characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients from the south of Brazil. OBJECTIVE: To identify the clinical features of a series of MS patients and to compare to other Brazilian series. METHOD: Retrospective study with 67 patients followed in The MS Reference Center - RS, Brazil during the year of 2008. We analyzed demographic and clinical data. RESULTS: Most were women (74.6%), the general average age was 43.5 years old, and the general average EDSS score was 4.1. Of those patients, 81.8% had relapsing-remitting MS. Sexual dysfunction prevalence was 31.1% in men and 68.9% in women (p<0.01). We found a positive correlation (Spearman=0.444, p<0.05) between EDSS and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: This study showed a very similar sample compared to other states of Brazil. Moreover, there was found a high prevalence of sexual dysfunction and a straight relation between EDSS and depressive symptoms.