Research ArticleOriginal Article
Open Access

Demographic and disease characteristics of multiple sclerosis in the Southwest Region of Saudi Arabia

Mohammed S. Al-Abdullah and Aesha F. Siddiqui
Neurosciences Journal October 2018, 23 (4) 320-325; DOI: https://doi.org/10.17712/nsj.2018.4.20180235

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Tables

  • Table 1

    Baseline information of multiple sclerosis patients of both genders.

    CharacteristicMaleFemaleOR (CI)P-value
    n (%)
    Age
     18- 30 years21 (65.6)20 (40.0)2.86 (1.13-7.20)0.02
     More than 30 years11 (34.4)30 (60.0)
    Marital status
     Married20 (62.5)38 (76)0.5 (0.20-1.3)0.22
     Single12 (37.5)12 (24)
    Education
     Illiterate0 (0.0)14 (28.0)0.004
     School18 (56.2)23 (46.0)
     University14 (43.8)13 (26.0)
    Occupation
     Non-working2 (6.3)43 (86.0)<0.001
     Military13 (40.5)0
     Other jobs17 (53.2)7 (14.0)
    Residence
     Urban26 (81.2)35 (70.0)1.85 (0.63-5.43)0.30
     Rural6 (18.8)15 (30.0)
    Income /month
     <5000 SR0 (0.0)11 (22.0)0.001
     5000-10000SR14 (43.8)30 (60.0)
     10000-20000SR13 (40.6)8 (16.0)
     ≥20000 SR5 (15.6)1 (2.0)
    BMI
     Normal18 (56.2)21 (42.0)0.02
     Overweight14 (43.8)19 (38.0)
     Obese0 (0.0)10 (20.0)
    Family history of MS
     Yes2 (6.3)2 (4)1.61 (0.214-11.96)0.64
     No30 (93.7)48 (96)

    • OR - Odds ratio, CI - confidence interval, SR - Saudi Riyals, BMI - body mass index, MS - multiple sclerosis.

  • Table 2

    Demographic characteristics of patients with multiple sclerosis.

    CharacteristicRatioMean±SDRange
    Gender Ratio
     Female1.56
     Male1
    Current age in years
     Total MS patients34.57±9.4818-56
    Age at diagnosis
     Total MS patients30.50±9.2910-54
     Male26.90±7.710-44
     Female32.8±9.818-56
    Disease duration (years)4.07±3.65<1-11

    • SD - standard deviation, MS - multiple sclerosis

  • Table 3

    Disease characteristics of multiple sclerosis in the study group.

    CharacteristicMalesFemalesP-value
    n (%)
    Age at disease diagnosis
     Less than 182 (6.3)0 (0.0)0.003
     18-30years25 (78.1)25 (50.0)
     More than 30 years5 (15.6)25 (50.0)
    Duration of disease
     Less than 1 year4 (12.5)9 (18.0)0.89
     1-5years17 (53.1)25 (50.0)
     5-10 years9 (28.1)12 (24.0)
     More than 10 years2 (6.3)4 (8.0)
    Type of disease
     RRMS22 (68.8)31 (62.0)0.889
     RPMS4 (12.5)6 (12.0)
     SPMS3 (9.4)5 (10.0)
     PPMS01 (2.0)
     CIS3 (9.4)7 (14.0)
    Symptoms at disease onset
     Optic10 (31.3)21 (42.0)0.774
     Spinal cord9 (28.1)11 (22.0)
     Cerebellar8 (25.0)10 (20.0)
     Sensory5 (15.6)7 (14.0)
     Brain stem0 (0.0)1 (2.0)
    Medication Used
     Betaferon (interferon beta-1b)19 (59.3)19 (36.0)0.25
     Rebif (interferon beta 1-a)11 (34.4)26 (52.0)
     Rebif+beta2 (6.3)2 (4.0)
     Rebif+Vit. D02 (4.0)
     Tecfidera01 (2.0)

    • RRMS - relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis, RPMS - relapsing progressive multiple sclerosis, SPMS - secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, PPMS - primary progressive multiple sclerosis, CIS - clinically isolated syndrome.

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