Epidemiology of multiple sclerosis in the north-east (Grampian region) of Scotland--an update.

The north-east of Scotland (Grampian Region) has undergone three incidence and prevalence surveys, including the present one, since 1970. Results from these indicate a true increase in the prevalence of the disease in the region. The incidence of the disease has remained continuously high and shows a slightly upward trend. Literature on the subject of repeated surveys in different regions of the world has been reviewed in detail. The need for a prevalence study from the south of the British Isles has been emphasised in order to enable one to judge if the increase in Scotland is in keeping with the pattern in the whole of the British Isles. The familial incidence of the disease was noted to be virtually unchanged between the three surveys. Certain other aspects of aetiological significance have been analysed, viz, clustering of patients at birth or at onset of the disease; ages of occurrence of childhood viral infections such as measles, mumps, chickenpox and rubella; and the role of canine distemper infection.     

Survival pattern and cause of death in patients with multiple sclerosis: results from an epidemiological survey in north east Scotland.

The mean survival period in a series of 216 multiple sclerosis deaths, which formed part of a large prevalence sample observed in the Grampian region of Scotland, was 24.5 years, with an insignificant difference between females (25.7 years) and males (23.5 years). A third of the patients survived for over 30 years after onset. The age at death ranged between 25-80 years, with majority of the deaths occurring in the seventh decade (37%). On comparing life expectancy with the Scottish general population using life tables, only a slight reduction in the short-term (less than 10 years from onset) survival was noted in all age groups, with the exception of those with onset over the age of 50 years. The long-term life expectancy was however markedly reduced in all age groups compared with the controls. The survival period could be accurately predicted from the degree of disability at a point in time, and could be correlated with a number of clinical features, the most important of which was the age at onset. Eighty five per cent of those with onset of multiple sclerosis over the age of 50 years died within 20 years. Patients with a cerebellar disturbance at onset survived the shortest, and those with a brainstem lesion or retrobulbar neuritis the longest; those with a pyramidal dysfunction had an intermediate prognosis. Other parameters which could be correlated with the survival were: the timing and frequency of occurrence of psychiatric and urinary symptoms, interval between onset and first relapse and the course of the disease. As expected, most patients (89%) were significantly disabled (unable to walk) prior to death, only a minority, however, had become so within 10 years of the onset (10%). Sixty two per cent of the patients died of complications of multiple sclerosis. No unusual excess of any disease was noted amongst other causes. As expected, the majority of patients (55%) had bronchopneumonia as the terminal event, 11% had septicaemia, 15% had myocardial infarction and 4% had documented pulmonary embolism. This is the largest series of its kind where prognosis, judged by survival period, has been assessed amongst all multiple sclerosis patients derived from a prevalence sample and observed till death.     

CT demonstration of complex dorsal spinal dysraphism.

An unusual case of dorsal spinal dysraphism in a four year old child is presented. Various abnormalities including diastematomyelia, an extradural arachnoid cyst arising from one of the two dural tubes, and lipomeningomyelocele with a related rib-like bony structure were demonstrated with Iohexol CT and subsequently confirmed at surgery.