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First published on June 23, 2008, doi:10.1177/1352458508090226

Multiple Sclerosis 2008;14:887.

A more recent version of this article appeared on August 1, 2008

Article

Increasing prevalence and incidence of multiple sclerosis in northern Japan

H Houzen1, M Niino2, D Hata1, F Nakano1, S Kikuchi3, T Fukazawa4, and H Sasaki2

1 Department of Neurology, Obihiro Kosei General Hospital, Obihiro, Japan
2 Department of Neurology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
3 Department of Neurology, Sapporo Minami National Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
4 Sapporo Neurology Clinic, Sapporo, Japan

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.


  Abstract

We previously reported that prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Japan was 8.6/100,000 individuals in 2001. This was much higher than that previously reported from Asian countries. A second epidemiologic survey was conducted to assess changes in MS prevalence and incidence over the last 30 years in Tokachi province of Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan. The authors studied the frequency of MS in the community of Tokachi Province, where the population has stabilized between 350,000 and 360,000 over the last 30 years. The survey was conducted at the same institutions using the same methods as the first survey in 2001. On March 31, 2006, 47 subjects satisfied Poser’s criteria for MS. The prevalence rate increased from 8.6 to 13.1/100,000 individuals between 2001 and 2006. The prevalence of conventional MS (C-MS) increased in 5 years although the prevalence of optic-spinal MS (OS-MS) did not increase. The mean annual incidence increased from 0.15 (1975–1989) to 0.68 (1990–2004). The results show the highest MS prevalence in Asia; the increase in MS prevalence in Tokachi Province may be due to increased incidence after 1990.

Key Words: epidemiology, incidence, MRI, multiple sclerosis, prevalence, spinal cord


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