The Faroese National Hospital, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
Mult Scler. 2011 Feb;17(2):241-4. doi: 10.1177/1352458510386997. Epub 2010 Oct 26.
Epidemiological studies of multiple sclerosis (MS) conducted in the Faroe Islands identified 10 annual incidences per 100,000 in 1945 and 4.5 in the period 1986-2007. The aim of this study was to estimate the annual incidence of onset of MS in the Faroe Islands in the six decades from 1943 to 2002 and during the period 2003-7.All patients diagnosed with MS between 1943 and 2007 were documented. The incidence of MS before 1943 was around 0.2 per 100,000 annually. During the period 1943-62, an annual incidence rate of 4.4 [confidence interval (CI) 2.9-6.1] per 100,000 was observed. During the 20-year period 1963-82, the level declined significantly (p < 0.001) to around 0.6 (0.3-1.5). Thereafter, an increase was seen during the period 1983-2002, evidencing a significant (p < 0.001) sevenfold increase in the annual incidence to 4.6 (3.2-6.2) per 100,000. Subsequently, for the period 2003-7, there was again a decline to 2.4 (2.1-3.3) (p = 0.003). This study confirms that significant variation in the incidence of MS has occurred in the Faroes over time. Because the rate of genetic change within the Faroese population is relatively slow, the study suggests environmental factors as a contributing cause of MS. If only genetic factors for susceptibility were important, the incidence rate should not wax and wane over time, as is observed.
法罗群岛进行的多发性硬化症（MS）的流行病学研究表明，1945 年每 10 万人中有 10 例年度发病率，1986-2007 年期间为 4.5 例。本研究旨在评估 1943 年至 2002 年的六十年间和 2003-7 年期间法罗群岛 MS 的年发病率。记录了 1943 年至 2007 年期间诊断为 MS 的所有患者。1943 年前 MS 的发病率约为每年每 10 万人 0.2 例。在 1943-62 年期间，观察到每年 4.4 [置信区间（CI）2.9-6.1]的发病率。在 1963-82 年的 20 年期间，发病率显著下降（p <0.001）至约 0.6（0.3-1.5）。此后，在 1983-2002 年期间观察到增加，表明每年发病率显著（p <0.001）增加七倍，达到每 100,000 人 4.6（3.2-6.2）。随后，在 2003-7 年期间，发病率再次下降至 2.4（2.1-3.3）（p = 0.003）。本研究证实，MS 的发病率在法罗群岛随时间发生了重大变化。由于法罗群岛人口中遗传变化的速度相对较慢，因此该研究表明环境因素是 MS 的一个促成因素。如果只有易感性的遗传因素很重要，那么发病率就不应该随着时间的推移而起伏，正如观察到的那样。
