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Multiple SclerosisIntroductionMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive, degenerative, chronic, autoimmune disease affecting the nerve fibers in the central nervous system (i.e., brain and spinal cord).
Figure 1 Figure 2 Multiple Sclerosis is a common debilitating illness in the US affecting 0.5 to 1 individual per 1000 young adults and 0.2% of the general population is susceptible to acquire MS at some point in their lifetime. About 25,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. Currently 350,000 to 500,000 people in US have been diagnosed to be suffering from MS. Internationally, 1 per 1,000,000 people acquires MS. MS is more common in women then men. Ninety percent of MS patients are diagnosed between 16 and 60 years of age (3, 4). Caucasians are more susceptible to acquire MS then any other race. It is essentially unknown in Eskimos and Bantus, and rare among Native Americans and Asians (3). MS is neither contagious nor fatal and life expectancy is normal. People with MS usually die of heart disease, cancer or stroke (4).
Article by Kona Vishnu, MS |
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Page Last Modified:
12/02/2010