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Multiple sclerosis in Pakistan

M Wasay1, S Ali, I A Khatri

  • 1The Aga Khan University, and Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. mohammad.wasay@aku.edu

Multiple Sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)
|June 6, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is prevalent in Pakistan, affecting patients at a mean age of 27. Many individuals experience severe disability early in the disease course, highlighting a critical need for timely intervention.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Epidemiology
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system.
  • Understanding the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of MS in diverse populations is crucial for effective management.
  • Data on MS patients in Pakistan are limited, necessitating further research into disease patterns within this region.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present the largest retrospective series of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients from Pakistan.
  • To characterize the demographic, clinical, and disability profiles of Pakistani MS patients.
  • To analyze the disease course and identify factors associated with disability progression.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of clinical data from 142 patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Pakistan.
  • Data collection included patient demographics, age at onset, sex ratio, onset symptoms, disease course, and disability status.
  • Disability was assessed at the time of evaluation, with disease duration also recorded.

Main Results:

  • The study included 142 MS patients from Pakistan, with a mean age at onset of 27 years and a female-to-male ratio of 1.45:1.
  • Motor weakness (70%) and sensory symptoms (45%) were the most common initial symptoms; 75% presented with polysymptomatic onset.
  • The majority of patients had a relapsing-remitting (RR) course (81%), but significant proportions had primary progressive (PP) (21%) or secondary progressive (SP) (4%) disease. Notably, 76% of patients exhibited moderate to severe disability, with those severely disabled having a mean disease duration of only 5.2 years.

Conclusions:

  • Multiple sclerosis (MS) is not uncommon in Pakistan, presenting with distinct demographic and clinical features.
  • A substantial proportion of Pakistani MS patients develop significant disability early in the disease, often within a few years of onset.
  • These findings underscore the urgent need for improved diagnostic strategies, early treatment interventions, and comprehensive management programs for MS in Pakistan.

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