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Published on: December 9, 2015
Epidemiology of multiple sclerosis in Lebanon: A rising prevalence in the middle east
Maya Zeineddine1, Amal Al Hajje2, Ali Hussein3
1Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Background:
The epidemiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) has been studied in many countries of the Middle East but the prevalence and incidence of MS in Lebanon is still unknown.
Objectives:
To determine the incidence and prevalence of MS in Lebanon.
Methods:
Lebanese patients diagnosed with MS between January 2018 and December 2018 were identified using the database of governmental third-party payers. The crude, age- and sex-specific 2018 prevalence and incidence among Lebanese patients were calculated.
Results:
2248 MS patients were identified of whom 67.1% were women (female: male ratio 2:1) with a mean age of 41.8 ± 12.96 years. The 2018 prevalence of MS was 62.91 cases per 100,000 persons (95% CI: 60.41 - 65.41). The overall incidence of MS in Lebanon was 8.36 cases per 100,000 (95% CI: 7.45 - 9.27) with a mean age at onset of 34.5 ± 12.5 years.
Conclusion:
This is the first study to assess prevalence and incidence of MS in Lebanon, confirming that Lebanon is a moderate to high-risk area for MS. Those high rates are commensurate with recently published studies from the Middle East, pointing to a significant rise in incidence and prevalence of this disease in our region.
