The incidence of multiple sclerosis in Tafresh town

Introduction:The incidence and prevalence of MS is increasing rapidly in Iran, but there is no details of MS prevalence in different parts of the country yet. This study investigates the prevalence and demography of MS patients in Tafresh town.Methods:Searching the documents of MS patients in MS society of Tafresh and also derivation of Tafresh population in formal census was done.Results:Tafresh population involving its villages is about 25000 persons. MS society of Tafresh has been established in 1394 (2015) and 37 MS patients have been registered up to now; so the prevalence of MS in Tafresh is 0.15%. 21 of patients (57%) were female, (F/M: 1.33/1). 2 patients (5.4%) died (1 woman due to MS complications and 1 man due to brain tumor. 3 of 20 alive women and 1 of 15 alive men were single. 74 percent of patients are on disease modifying drugs (19(54.2%): Cinnovex, 4(11.4%): Ritoximab, 2(5.7%): Fingolimode and 1(2.8%): Novanthrone).Conclusion:MS prevalence in Tafresh is 148 patients in 100000 populations so it is in high frequency regions (> 100 patients in 100000 populations). This is a warning for increase of MS incidence even in small and non-industrialized towns. The majority of Tafresh MS patients are relapsing remitting (RRMS). Most of the patients (73%) receive first line DMDs and 27% take second line DMDs.It is necessary to investigate risk factors of increasing incidence of MS in our country quickly and then manage them.