High prevalence of sickness absence and disability pension among multiple sclerosis patients: a nationwide population-based study

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (14) ◽  
pp. 1923-1930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petter Tinghög ◽  
Jan Hillert ◽  
Linnea Kjeldgård ◽  
Michael Wiberg ◽  
Anna Glaser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Sick Leave ◽  
Disability Pension ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Disease Modifying Drugs ◽  
Modern Health Care ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Widespread Access ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Introduction: Although multiple sclerosis (MS) often implies substantial disability, there is little knowledge about sick leave and disability pension among MS patients. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence rates of sick leave and disability pension among MS patients and to explore how socio-demographics are associated with such rates. Methods: The register data of all people who lived in Sweden in 2005 and were 16–64 years old was used to identify 9721 MS patients and matched controls. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated and effect modifications were evaluated with Wald X2 tests. Results: In 2005, 61.7% of the MS patients were on partial or full disability pension compared to 14.2% among the controls. Of the others, 36.8% had ≥1 sick-leave spell for >14 days during that year. Socio-demographics were similarly associated with sick leave and disability pension among MS patients and controls, with the noteworthy exceptions that female gender and immigration status were less potent risk factors in the MS population ( p<0.05). Conclusion: In spite of widespread access to modern health care including disease-modifying drugs, the majority of MS patients of working ages were on a disability pension. Strategies enabling MS patients to retain their footing in the labour market are needed.

Disease progression among multiple sclerosis patients before and during a disease-modifying drug program: a longitudinal population-based evaluation

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 1286-1294 ◽  
Author(s):  
PJ Veugelers ◽  
JD Fisk ◽  
MG Brown ◽  
K. Stadnyk ◽  
IS Sketris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Disease Progression ◽  
Program Effectiveness ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Disease Modifying Drugs ◽  
Regression Methods ◽  
Disease Modifying ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients ◽  
Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy of disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) in persons with relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) and secondary progressive MS with superimposed relapses. However, these brief studies of selected patients have focused mainly on reducing attacks and must be complemented by evaluations in ‘realworld’ clinical settings to establish the effectiveness of DMD programs in slowing disease progression and to inform health policy and program decision-making. We assessed the effectiveness of DMDs as administered in a comprehensive publicly funded drug insurance program that provides DMDs to a geographically defined population of MS patients who meet specific eligibility criteria. Data from 1752 MS patients (10,312 assessments) seen between 1980 and 2004 at a regional MS Clinic serving the entire population of Nova Scotia, Canada were analysed. Using survival methods we observed a statistically significant reduction in disease progression to specific Expanded Disability Status Scale endpoints following the introduction of this program. Subgroup analyses of patients eligible for treatment using hierarchical linear regression methods also suggested that disease progression was slowed in patients treated with the first DMD prescribed. These findings provide evidence supporting DMD program effectiveness that can be used to inform the broader implementation of such programs.

scholarly journals Psychiatric Diagnoses, Medication and Risk for Disability Pension in Multiple Sclerosis Patients; a Population-Based Register Study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. e104165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Brenner ◽  
Kristina Alexanderson ◽  
Charlotte Björkenstam ◽  
Jan Hillert ◽  
Jussi Jokinen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Disability Pension ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Register Study ◽  
Psychiatric Diagnoses ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients ◽  
Risk For Disability

scholarly journals Metabolomic Signature in Sera of Multiple Sclerosis Patients during Pregnancy

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 3589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Rossi ◽  
Ilaria Cicalini ◽  
Mirco Zucchelli ◽  
Maria di Ioia ◽  
Marco Onofrj ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Mass Spectrometry Analysis ◽  
Spectrometry Analysis ◽  
Hormonal Fluctuations ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Multiple sclerosis (MuS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system characterized by neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and degradation of the myelin sheath. Epidemiological studies have shown that the female gender is more susceptible than the male gender to MuS development, with a female-to-male ratio of 2:1. Despite this high onset, women have a better prognosis than men, and the frequency of the relapsing phase decreases during pregnancy, while it increases soon after birth. Therefore, it is interesting to investigate hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy and whether they correlate with metabolic signatures. To gain a deeper inside into the biochemical mechanism of such a multifactorial disease, we adopted targeted metabolomics approaches for the determination of many serum metabolites in 12 pregnant women affected by MuS by mass spectrometry analysis. Our data show a characteristic hormonal fluctuation for estrogens and progesterone, as expected. They also highlight other interesting hormonal alterations for cortisol, corticosterone, 11-deoxycortisol, 4-androstene-3,17-dione, testosterone, and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone. Furthermore, a negative correlation with progesterone levels was observed for amino acids and for acylcarnitines, while an imbalance of different sphingolipids pathways was found during pregnancy. In conclusion, these data are in agreement with the characteristic clinical signs of MuS patients during pregnancy and, if confirmed, they may add an important tessera in the complex mosaic of maternal neuroprotection.

scholarly journals The Role of the Primary-Care Physician in Treating Relapses in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

2009 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 122-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah A. Morrow ◽  
Marcelo Kremenchutzky
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Care Physician ◽  
Diagnosis And Treatment ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Tertiary Care Centers ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common disabling neurologic disease with an overall prevalence in Canada of 240 in 100,000. Multiple sclerosis clinics are located at tertiary-care centers that may be difficult for a patient to access during an acute relapse. Many relapses are evaluated by primary-care physicians in private clinics or emergency departments, but these physicians' familiarity with MS is not known. Therefore, a survey was undertaken to determine the knowledge and experience of primary-care physicians regarding the diagnosis and treatment of MS relapses. A total of 1282 licensed primary-care physicians in the catchment area of the London (Ontario, Canada) Multiple Sclerosis Clinic were identified and mailed a two-page anonymous survey. A total of 237 (18.5%) responses were obtained, but only 216 (16.8%) of these respondents were still in active practice. Of these 216 physicians, only 9% reported having no MS patients in their practice, while 70% had one to five patients, 16.7% had six to ten, and 1.9% had more than ten (3.7% did not respond to this question). Corticosteroids were recognized as an MS treatment by 49.5% of the respondents, but only 43.1% identified them as a treatment for acute relapses. In addition, 31% did not know how to diagnose a relapse, and only 37% identified new signs or symptoms of neurologic dysfunction as indicating a potential relapse. Despite the high prevalence of MS in Canada, primary-care physicians require more education and support from specialists in MS care regarding the diagnosis and treatment of MS relapses.

Disease-modifying drugs for multiple sclerosis and infection risk: a cohort study

2018 ◽  
Vol 89 (10) ◽  
pp. 1050-1056 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Maria Andreas Wijnands ◽  
Feng Zhu ◽  
Elaine Kingwell ◽  
John David Fisk ◽  
Charity Evans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Second Generation ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Infection Risk ◽  
Disease Modifying Drugs ◽  
Drug Classes ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Disease Modifying ◽  
Status Index

ObjectiveLittle is known about disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) for multiple sclerosis (MS) and infection risk in clinical practice. We examined the association between DMTs and infection-related medical encounters.MethodsUsing population-based administrative data from British Columbia, Canada, we identified MS cases and followed them from their first demyelinating event (1996–2013) until emigration, death or study end (December 2013). Associations between DMT exposure (by DMT generation or class) and infection-related physician or hospital claims were assessed using recurrent time-to-events models, adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic status, index year and comorbidity count. Results were reported as adjusted HRs (aHRs).ResultsOf 6793 MS cases, followed for 8.5 years (mean), 1716 (25.3%) were DMT exposed. Relative to no DMT, exposure to any first-generation DMT (beta-interferon or glatiramer acetate) was not associated with infection-related physician claims (aHR: 0.96; 95% CI 0.89 to 1.02), nor was exposure to these drug classes when assessed separately. Exposure to any second-generation DMT (oral DMT or natalizumab) was associated with an increased hazard of an infection-related physician claim (aHR: 1.47; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.85); when assessed individually, the association was significant for natalizumab (aHR: 1.59; 95% CI 1.19 to 2.11) but not the oral DMTs (aHR: 1.17; 95% CI 0.88 to 1.56). While no DMTs were associated with infection-related hospital claims, these hospitalisations were also uncommon.ConclusionExposure to first-generation DMTs was not associated with an altered infection risk. However, exposure to the second-generation DMTs was, with natalizumab associated with a 59% increased risk of an infection-related physician claim. Continued pharmacovigilance is warranted, including an investigation of the DMT-associated infection burden on patient outcomes.

Prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Denmark 1950—2005

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 520-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan Bentzen ◽  
Esben Meulengracht Flachs ◽  
Egon Stenager ◽  
Henrik Brønnum-Hansen ◽  
Nils Koch-Henriksen
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Population Based ◽  
National Registry ◽  
Age At First Birth ◽  
Genetic Changes ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system of unknown aetiology. Its prevalence varies by ethnicity and place: persons of northern European descent are at increased risk while persons living at lower latitudes appear to be protected against the disease. The Danish Multiple Sclerosis Registry is a national registry established in 1956 after a population-based survey which receives information from numerous sources. It is considered to be more than 90% complete, with a validity of 94%. Using data from the Registry, we calculated prevalences per 100,000 inhabitants. The standardized prevalence of multiple sclerosis increased from 58.8 (95% confidence interval: 54.9—62.7) in 1950 to 154.5 per 100,000 (95% confidence interval: 148.8—160.2) in 2005, and the female to male ratio increased from 1.31 in 1950 to 2.02 in 2005. The increase in prevalence is due to both increased survival of multiple sclerosis patients and an increased incidence rate. The rise in prevalence in the past 50 years is probably due more to environmental factors than to genetic changes in the Danish population. Among women, environmental changes could include older age at first birth, use of oral contraceptives, or changes in sun behaviour and/or vitamin D status.

scholarly journals Fair data for next-generation management of multiple sclerosis

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (9) ◽  
pp. 1151-1156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liesbet M Peeters
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Multidisciplinary Treatment ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Disease Modifying Drugs ◽  
Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Precision Level ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
The Individual

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive demyelinating and degenerative disease of the central nervous system with symptoms depending on the disease type and the site of lesions and is featured by heterogeneity of clinical expressions and responses to treatment strategies. An individualized clinical follow-up and multidisciplinary treatment is required. Transforming the population-based management of today into an individualized, personalized and precision-level management is a major goal in research. Indeed, a complex and unique interplay between genetic background and environmental exposure in each case likely determines clinical heterogeneity. To reach insights at the individual level, extensive amount of data are required. Many databases have been developed over the last few decades, but access to them is limited, and data are acquired in different ways and differences in definitions and indexing and software platforms preclude direct integration. Most existing (inter)national registers and IT platforms are strictly observational or focus on disease epidemiology or access to new disease modifying drugs. Here, a method to revolutionize management of MS to a personalized, individualized and precision level is outlined. The key to achieve this next level is FAIR data.

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