PREVALENCE OF MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS IN FLANDERS, BELGIUM

Two hundred twenty patients fulfilling the Poser diagnostic criteria f or definite and probable multiple sclerosis (MS) were ascertained in a n area of Flanders (Belgium) including the city of Leuven through the general practitioners and the neurologists practicing in the area, thr ough the medical records of the National Center for MS and through the membership list of the MS patient society. Leuven is located at a lat itude of 50 degrees 53 N. A prevalence rate of 73.8 per 100,000 [95% c onfidence limits (95% CI) 58.7-89.0] for men and 101.3 (95% CI 80.4-11 4.5) for women, and of 87.9 for both sexes (95% CI 76.2-99.4) was foun d on October 1, 1991. This prevalence rate is not significantly differ ent from rates recently reported for other areas in Europe at the same latitude. The female to male ratio however was only 1.41, which is si gnificantly lower than that in neighboring regions.