Recep ALP 1 , Selen İLHAN ALP 2 , Yılmaz PLANCI 3 , Zuhal YAPICI 4 , Ülkü TÜRK BÖRÜ 5 1 Namık Kemal University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Tekirdağ, Turkey 2 Government Hospital Department of Neurology , Tekirdağ, Turkey 3 Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Diyarbakır, Turkey 4 Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, İstanbul, Turkey 5 Dr. Lü tfi Kırdar Kartal Research and Education Hospital, Department of Neurology, İstanbul, Turkey The Prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis in the North Caucasus Region of Turkey: Door-to-Door Epidemiological Field Study Multipl Skleroz Prevelansı: Tü̈rkiye’nin Kuzey Doğusunda Epidemiyolojik Saha Çalışması Research Article / Araştırma Makalesi 272 Correspondence Address/Yaz›flma Adresi: Dr. Recep Alp, Namık Kemal University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Tekirdağ, Turkey Gsm: +90 532 482 85 65 E-mail: recepalphotmail.com Geliş tarihi/Received: 27.04.2011 Kabul tarihi/Accepted: 19.10.2011 © Nöropsikiyatri Arşivi Dergisi, Galenos Yayınevi taraf›ndan bas›lm›flt›r. / © Archives of Neuropsychiatry, published by Galenos Publishing ABSTRACT Background: The prevalence rate of multiple sclerosis (MS) might differ between countries depending on whether the data is obtained from hospital-based or population-based studies. This study aimed at identifying the prevalence of MS with face-to-face interviews by door-to-door field visits in a population study conducted in the north-eastern (Caucasus) part of Turkey situated at high altitude, with long winters and with inhabitants having low socio-economical status. Method: In this cross-sectional field study, one of every three houses within the city proper were visited searching for MS cases. Results: 7249 subjects were included in face-to-face interviews. Five patients diagnosed as having MS were identified. The prevalence of MS was calculated as 68.97/100000, with a mean age of 35.1±10.2 years and female to male ratio of 4/1. Conclusion: This study, similar to the previous population-based study conducted in our country, demonstrated that the prevalence of MS in Turkey could be higher than expected. (Archives of Neuropsychiatry 2012; 49: 272-275) Key words: Multiple sclerosis, prevalence, epidemiologic field stud Conflict of interest: The authors reported no conflict of interest related to this article. ÖZET Amaç: Multipl skleroz (MS) prevelans oranı, yapılan çalışmaların toplum veya hastane kaynaklı olmasına bağlı olarak, ü lkeler arasında farklılık göstermektedir. Bu çalışmamızda amacımız sosyoekonomik seviyesi dü şü k, coğrafi açıdan yü ksek rakımda, mevsimsel olarak uzun sü ren kış aylarının olduğu ü lkemizin kuzey-doğu illerinden Kars’ta, yü z yü ze ve kapı kapı gezilerek, MS prevelansını tespit etmektir. Yöntem: Bu kesitsel alan çalışmasında, MS olgusu ararken tü m kentte belirlenen her ü ç evden birine ziyaret yapıldı. Bulgular: Toplam 7249 kişi ile yü z yü ze görü şmeler yapıldı. MS tanısı konmuş 5 hasta tespit edildi. MS prevelansı 68,97/100000, kadın erkek oranı 4/1, hastaların yaş ortalaması 35,1±10,2 olarak hesaplandı. Sonuç: Bu çalışma, ü lkemizde daha önce yapılan benzer çalışma ile benzer şekilde, MS prevelansının tahmin edilen değerden daha yü ksek olabileceğini bize göstermektedir. (Nöropsikiyatri Arflivi 2012; 49: 272-275) Anahtar kelimeler: Multipl skleroz, prevelans, epidemiyolojik saha çalışması Çıkar çatışması: Yazarlar bu makale ile ilgili olarak herhangi bir çıkar çatışması bildirmemişlerdir. Doi: 10.4274/npa.y6152 Introduction Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating, chronic disease, affecting the central nervous system (CNS), with presumed autoimmune etiology. It affects mostly young adults, leading to the emergence of various signs and symptoms, often disabling, with no estimated duration and possible remission (1,2). Genetic and environmental factors are unequivocally related to susceptibility and expression of the disease. MS displays a unimodal distribution between 20-40 years of age, with a higher incidence in females and Caucasians (3). There are different results revealed by prevalence studies conducted on MS in different parts of the world, being higher in regions located between the paralels 44 and 64N. Areas considered as of high prevalence are those with more than 30 cases per 100000, average prevalence areas with 5 to 30/100000, and low prevalence areas less than 5/100000. Studies carried out recently report increased MS prevalence rates (4-11). There is a limited number of studies conducted in our country; no data for north-eastern Turkey are available. Studies were performed in the western Turkey where there are high social- economic state and similar geographic features. Both studies were