Monks J, Robinson I
Brunel-ARMS Research Unit, University of West London, Middlesex.
J Epidemiol Community Health. 1989 Jun;43(2):179-86. doi: 10.1136/jech.43.2.179.
Problems with case ascertainment in epidemiological research on multiple sclerosis (MS) make it necessary to use indirect sources. However, there is a lack of information about the characteristics of cases drawn from different sources and thus little basis on which sampling frames for large scale surveys may be constructed. The characteristics of a population drawn from the membership of Action for Research into Multiple Sclerosis (ARMS) were compared with those of 10 other British MS populations reported between 1980 and 1987. Demographic variables examined were geographical location, nationality, ethnicity, sex ratio and age. Diagnostic status, age at diagnosis and duration since diagnosis were considered together with data on the comparative populations based on date of onset. On all the variables investigated the ARMS population fell close to or within the range shown by the comparative populations. The relative youth of the ARMS population and its bias towards a high proportion of females were differences in keeping with existing knowledge about the membership of mutual support organisations. A population drawn from such an organisation may usefully complement other MS research populations provided that the likely biases in each are understood.
在多发性硬化症（MS）流行病学研究中，病例确定方面存在的问题使得有必要使用间接来源。然而，关于从不同来源获取的病例特征的信息匮乏，因此几乎没有依据来构建大规模调查的抽样框架。将从多发性硬化症研究行动组织（ARMS）成员中抽取的人群特征与1980年至1987年间报告的其他10个英国MS人群的特征进行了比较。所考察的人口统计学变量包括地理位置、国籍、种族、性别比例和年龄。诊断状况、诊断时年龄以及诊断后的病程与基于发病日期的比较人群数据一同被考虑。在所有调查的变量上，ARMS人群均接近或处于比较人群所显示的范围内。ARMS人群相对年轻且女性比例偏高的情况与关于互助组织成员的现有知识相符。只要了解每个来源可能存在的偏差，从这样一个组织中抽取的人群可有效地补充其他MS研究人群。
