Incidence and prevalence of multiple sclerosis during eras of evolving diagnostic criteria-a nationwide population-based registry study over five decades.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Impact of changing diagnostic criteria for the population-based incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) has not been investigated.

Objective

To assess the effect of changing diagnostic criteria on national MS incidence and prevalence in Finland from 1974 to 2021.

Methods

We identified patients with MS (pwMS) through the National MS registry and the national Care Register for Healthcare and divided them into four groups based on the year of MS diagnosis: 1) Schumacher criteria (1974-1982), 2) Poser criteria (1983-2000), 3) Earlier McDonald criteria (2001-2016), and 4) Current McDonald criteria (2017-2021). Age-adjusted incidence and prevalence were calculated.

Results

Age-adjusted incidence per 10⁵ person years increased from 3.7 (95% CI 3.5-3

SUBMITTER: Maunula A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11912163 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan-Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature