HIGH PREVALENCE OF KENNEDYS-DISEASE IN WESTERN FINLAND - IS THE SYNDROME UNDERDIAGNOSED

Objectives - To assess the prevalence of Kennedy's disease in the Vasa region of Western Finland. Patients and methods - Verification of dia gnosis by molecular genetic techniques since 1995. Results - Within 2 years we have been able to identify a large number of families with th is disorder. We have arrived at a point prevalence of Kennedy's diseas e in the district of Vasa Central Hospital of 13 patients per 85,000 m ale inhabitants. Assuming an even distribution throughout the country, this would suggest hundreds of patients with this disorder in Finland . Conclusion - Kennedy's disease is the most common motor neuron disor der in the Vasa region, exceeding the prevalence of ALS by a factor of two, and far more common than any of the other motor neuron disorders . The fact that none of our patients, despite previous examinations, h ad correct diagnoses before 1995, indicates that Kennedy's disease sti ll might be relatively underdiagnosed.