MS is a neurological disease that primarily affects young
adults. Its prevalence varies by ethnicity and location decreasing in the lower
latitude. According to recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO),
the estimated number of people with MS worldwide increased from 2.1 million in
2008 to 2.3 million in 2013. Although its etiology remains uncertain, evidence
suggests that MS is an immune-mediated attack on myelin with secondary destruction
of axons causing progressive disability. The disease’s symptoms include
weakness, fatigue, sensory loss, dizziness, lack of coordination, sexual
dysfunction, urinary incontinence, optic atrophy, dysarthria, and mental
problems.
The longevity of patients with MS is about eight years less than that
of a healthy person. Longevity is bimodally distributed with many patients
having normal longevity and some dying at a significantly younger age depending
on disease aggressiveness, disability severity, infection, or suicide. One
third of patients with MS will need to use a wheelchair. About two-thirds will
have disabilities that prevent them from working. It is important to
incorporate a quality of life (QoL) evaluation from the beginning, during
patient monitoring, and when evaluating the effects of the treatment used.(Read more)
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