Poskanzer D C, Prenney L B, Sheridan J L, Kondy J Y
J Epidemiol Community Health. 1980 Dec;34(4):229-39. doi: 10.1136/jech.34.4.229.
An epidemiological and clinical study of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the Orkney and Shetland Islands showed that the prevalence rate of the disease is the highest in the world (309 and 184/100 000, respectively). The clinical entity, MS, is similar to that found in other parts of the world, except that optic neuritis not followed by MS is rare. Analysis of death certificates indicated that MS has probably occurred at the same rate in these islands for nearly a century. Although the incidence of MS is high, the incidence rate has remained constant over time. A rapidly increasing prevalence of MS has occurred in Orkney, with a more modest increase in Shetland, over the past 20 years, which is largely due to an increase in survival. Demographic factors, case ascertainment, and emigration have contributed little to the increasing prevalence of MS in these islands.
一项针对奥克尼群岛和设得兰群岛多发性硬化症（MS）的流行病学和临床研究表明，该疾病的患病率是世界上最高的（分别为309/10万和184/10万）。MS这种临床病症与世界其他地区发现的类似，只是不继发于MS的视神经炎很少见。对死亡证明的分析表明，近一个世纪以来，这些岛屿上MS的发病率可能一直相同。尽管MS的发病率很高，但发病率随时间保持稳定。在过去20年里，奥克尼群岛MS的患病率迅速上升，设得兰群岛的上升幅度较小，这主要是由于生存率的提高。人口统计学因素、病例确诊和移民对这些岛屿上MS患病率的上升贡献不大。
