Multiple sclerosis (MS) is chronic inflammatory autoimmune demyelinative disease of CNS. In most patients first symptoms of the disease appear at the age between 20 and 45 years. Females are two times more affected and some geographic regions have higher risk. MS can have benign or malignant course which can be: relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), secondary progressive MS (SPMS), primary progressive MS (PPMS) and progressive-relapsing MS (PRMS). The most common subtype, in about 85% patients, is RRMS.
In our investigation we interviewed 100 randomized patients, who have diagnosis of MS for different long period. We analized some general characteristics (age, sex, profession, married state, child number, some data from personal and familiar anamnesis), type of treatment, type of disease, present health state and quality of life. As it is characteristic for MS, patients were in young or middle age, in most patients first signs of disease were unrecognized at the beginning, some symptoms were present before the diagnosis was established. First symptoms were subjective sensory disturbances, visual impairment, weakness of one or more extremities, diplopia, vertigo, drowsiness, bladder and bowel dysfunction. The most frequent type of treatment is pulse corticosterid therapy in relapse, polyvitamins and physical therapy later. Minor number of patients takes other type of treatment as beta interferon.
As the disease is connected with worsening of disability during the time, some patients are not capable for work, and earlier pensioning can not be avoided.
If our investigation would continue in a greater number inteviewed patients, we could have a basis of data with significant characteristics of the disease in our region.
