First hospital-admission rate as an epidemiological indicator for patientswith multiple sclerosis in Stockholm, 1984-1993

Objectives - To evaluate the first hospital-admission patients with multipl e sclerosis (MS) in the population. Material and methods - By using the. da ta from hospital discharge registry of MS diagnosis in Stockholm during 198 4-1993, we calculated rates of first hospital-admission patients with MS in the population and evaluated the temporal trend of the rates during the st udy period. Results - There were 719 first hospital-admission patients with MS corresponding to 1556 admissions. The mean age at the first admission w as nearly the same for male patients (44.3 years, SD: 12.9) and for female patients (44.6 years, SD: 13.7). The mean annual rate of first hospital-adm ission patients with MS was 4.46 per 100,000 person-years. The sex rate rat io of first hospital-admission patients with MS between females and males w as 2.19.1. Conclusion - The first hospital-admission rate of MS could be us ed as an epidemiological indicator which is useful in planning of hospital service for MS patients.