Pediatric multiple sclerosis in Venezuela

Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria

Joaquín A. Peña²  María Elena Ravelo¹  Evelio Rubio¹  Dulce Pirela¹  Arnoldo Soto¹  Cecilia Montiel Nava¹ 

[1],University of Zulia School of Medicine Pediatrics DepartmentMaracaibo,Venezuela

关键词: multiple sclerosis;    demyelinating disorders;    children;    epidemiology;    esclerosis múltiple;    trastornos desmielinizantes;    niños;    epidemiología;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0004-282X2012000400008

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of Venezuelan pediatric patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: Database records from the National Program for MS were searched for patients with an established diagnosis of MS whose first symptoms appeared before age 18. RESULTS: The national database held records of 1.710 patients; 3.8% had onset of the first symptoms before age 18. 46.7% were boys, yielding an F:M ratio of 1.13:1. Many children had a disease onset characterized by motor impairment (30.7%), brainstem/cerebellum and spinal cord affectation (27.6%), headache (26%). Less frequent symptoms were sensory symptoms (8%) and optic neuritis (7%). DISCUSSION: Pediatric MS patients in Venezuela represent a significant proportion of all MS cases. The clinical pattern is characterized by motor symptoms at onset, and predominantly monosymptomatic presentation with a relapsing-remitting pattern. This is the first systematic attempt to estimate the prevalence of pediatric MS in Venezuela.

【 授权许可】

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