BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There are few population-based surveys on multiple sclerosis (MS) survival. To investigate MS survival in MS patients recruited during surveys conducted in Sicily. METHODS: Multiple sclerosis patients identified during previous surveys were randomly matched to two referent subjects by residence, year of birth, and gender. Living status was obtained by municipality records (end of follow-up June, 30th 2007) and, for the deceased, date and causes of death were searched. Kaplan-Meier plots were used to calculate differences in mortality between MS patients and referent subjects. MS risks for mortality with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were also calculated. RESULTS: We included 194 MS patients and 388 matched persons. Thirty MS patients (15.5%) and 28 referents (7.2%) had died until the end of follow-up. Mean survival from onset of the disease to death was 20.6 years. Mean age at death was 55.5 for MS patients and 64.8 for the referents. Adjusted Hazard Ratios for mortality in MS was 1.81 (95% CI 1.36-2.40). Kaplan-Meier estimates showed a higher mortality amongst patients compared to referent subjects (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The present study confirms the higher mortality risk in MS patients with no significant gender difference. Causes of death are related to complications of high disability and to increasing age.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There are few population-based surveys on multiple sclerosis (MS) survival. To investigate MS survival in MSpatients recruited during surveys conducted in Sicily. METHODS:Multiple sclerosispatients identified during previous surveys were randomly matched to two referent subjects by residence, year of birth, and gender. Living status was obtained by municipality records (end of follow-up June, 30th 2007) and, for the deceased, date and causes of death were searched. Kaplan-Meier plots were used to calculate differences in mortality between MSpatients and referent subjects. MS risks for mortality with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were also calculated. RESULTS: We included 194 MSpatients and 388 matched persons. Thirty MSpatients (15.5%) and 28 referents (7.2%) had died until the end of follow-up. Mean survival from onset of the disease to death was 20.6 years. Mean age at death was 55.5 for MSpatients and 64.8 for the referents. Adjusted Hazard Ratios for mortality in MS was 1.81 (95% CI 1.36-2.40). Kaplan-Meier estimates showed a higher mortality amongst patients compared to referent subjects (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The present study confirms the higher mortality risk in MSpatients with no significant gender difference. Causes of death are related to complications of high disability and to increasing age.
Authors: Antonio Scalfari; Volker Knappertz; Gary Cutter; Douglas S Goodin; Raymond Ashton; George C Ebers Journal: Neurology Date: 2013-07-09 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: Douglas S Goodin; Michael Corwin; David Kaufman; Howard Golub; Shoshana Reshef; Mark J Rametta; Volker Knappertz; Gary Cutter; Dirk Pleimes Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-08-21 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Douglas S Goodin; George C Ebers; Gary Cutter; Stuart D Cook; Timothy O'Donnell; Anthony T Reder; Marcelo Kremenchutzky; Joel Oger; Mark Rametta; Karola Beckmann; Volker Knappertz Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2012-11-30 Impact factor: 2.692