PROGNOSTIC FACTORS FOR SURVIVAL IN MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS - A LONGITUDINAL, POPULATION-BASED STUDY IN MORE AND ROMSDAL, NORWAY

A longitudinal, population based study of life expectancy in multiple sclerosis was performed in the county of More and Romsdal, Norway duri ng the period 1950-84. A total of 251 patients with multiple sclerosis (110 men, 141 women, mean age at onset of disease 33.6 years) were in cluded. The mean follow up time was 18.1 years. At the end of the stud y period 70 patients had died. Fifty four (77.1%) of these had multipl e sclerosis as the underlying or contributing cause of death on the de ath certificates. Young age at onset, initial remitting clinical cours e, and the presence of sensory symptoms at onset were significantly as sociated with longer survival.