Authors: Jose A CabreraGómez John F Kurtzke Alina GonzálezQuevedo R LaraRodríguez
Publish Date: 2009/02/09
Volume: 256, Issue: 1, Pages: 35-44
Abstract
The study was conducted from October 1 2003 to November 30 2004 Ninety percent of general practitioners and all neurologists responded positively to the request for information on cases suspected of optic neuritis ON transverse myelitis TM multiple sclerosis or NMO Among the population of 11177743 there were 798 suspected cases including 89 with possible NMO relapsing ON RON and TM Of the 89 87 were examined by two of us Cabrera JA Lara R who selected the NMO cases according to the 1999 Mayo Clinic criteria as well as those with relapsing TM and RON58 cases provided a prevalence rate of 052 per 100000 95 CI 039–067 The 7 males and 51 females gave rates of 013 CI 005–026 and 091 CI 068–120 The estimated average annual incidence rate was 0053 per 100000 CI 0040–0068 Prevalence rates did not differ significantly among the three ethnic groups Black NMO cases were significantly older with more relapses and motor deficit as well as more abnormalities in brainstem evoked potentials and in brain MRI not meeting MS criteria The predominant clinical form was relapsing over monophasic
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