Clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis in Kuwait: data from the new MS registry of Amiri Hospital.

OBJECTIVES

To study clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in Kuwait and to collect data on annual relapse rates and disability measures.

METHOD

An MS Registry was created in Amiri Hospital. Demographic, clinical characteristics, and disability measures using Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score at last visit were collected.

RESULTS

Data from 218 patients formed the basis of the study cohort. Female to male ratio was 1.95. Mean age of onset of MS was 26.8 years. Seventy-eight percent had a relapsing-remitting course, 9.2% had secondary progressive course, and 2.8% had primary progressive course. The clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) group constituted 10.1%. The mean disease duration was 8 ± 7.2 years. Forty-five percent of patients had ≤5 years of disease duration, followed by 24.3% and 25.2% in the 5-10 and 10-20 years durations. Only 5.5% had MS for >20 years; 77.1% of patients had <1 relapse per year, while 22% had 1-2 relapses per year; 67.89% of patients had EDSS score <4, whereas 17.89% were found to have EDSS of ≥6.

SUMMARY

MS in Kuwait predominantly affects female. The mean age of onset and frequency of MS types are comparable to worldwide figures. The annual relapse rates and the EDSS scores were relatively low in our cohort.