Methods of estimating prevalence of multiple sclerosis in six European healthcare data sources: a contribution from the ConcePTION project

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune condition primarily affecting women and often diagnosed during childbearing years. This study assessed the impact of the lookback period and calculation method on MS prevalence in three healthcare data sources including women of childbearing age (from Italy, Norway and Wales) and three data sources including pregnant women (from France, Finland and Spain). Women aged 15 to 49 years from 2005 to 2019 were included, data from pregnant women were collected around the pregnancy period. MS cases were identified based on at least one MS diagnosis or one dispensation for an MS-specific medication. All data sources provided inpatient diagnoses and medication data; outpatient diagnoses were available in Norway and Finland, and primary care diagnoses in Norway, Finland and Wales. We assessed MS case detection rate by lookback period, and compared three methods for estimating yearly MS prevalence: period prevalence (PP), average point prevalence (APP) and person-time prevalence (PTP). The estimated lookback periods to identify 95% of MS cases ranged from 6 to 9 years. APP and PTP provided lower prevalence estimates than PP, especially when the lookback to identify MS was short. In women of childbearing age, MS prevalence increased over time with all calculation methods and the highest MS prevalence was observed in Norway (PP of 402 per 100,000 in 2019). Finland showed the highest MS prevalence in pregnant women (PP of 218 per 100,000 in 2018). This study highlights the importance of sufficient lookback and available data to accurately estimate MS prevalence

Identifying multiple sclerosis in women of childbearing age in six European countries: a contribution from the ConcePTION project

Prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) has increased over the last decades, primarily among women of childbearing age. Several algorithms for identifying MS have been described in the literature, providing heterogeneous prevalence estimates. We compared five algorithms to identify MS in women of childbearing age and estimated MS prevalence by time period and age-group. The study population included women aged 15 to 49 years-old between 2005 and 2019, from three data sources including all women (from Italy, Norway, and Wales), and three including pregnant women only (from France, Finland, and Spain; data collected around pregnancy). Five algorithms were tested: MS1 to MS3 combined MS diagnoses and MS-medicine prescriptions/dispensations, requiring 1, 2, or 3 occurrences, respectively; MS4 and MS5 used only MS diagnoses, requiring at least 2 occurrences (MS4 allowed just 1 if diagnosis was from inpatient care). In 2015–2019, MS prevalence based on MS1 ranged from 109 to 359 per 100,000 women: 109 in France, 121 in Spain, 195 in Wales, 232 in Finland, 264 in Italy, and 359 in Norway. More restrictive algorithms led to greater disparity, with MS3 ranging from 53 in Spain to 325 in Norway, and MS5 from 21 in France to 345 in Norway. All algorithms showed expected prevalence trends by time and age among women of childbearing age, though lower than in the literature. Overall, MS1 provided prevalence estimates most closely aligned with existing literature. This study offers key insights into choosing algorithms for identifying MS in women of childbearing age and in pregnant women

could it prevent their migration and fixation in the upper abdomen? About 11 cases

International audienc

Ballasting peritoneal dialysis catheters: could it prevent their migration and fixation in the upper abdomen? 19th Annual Conference on Peritoneal Dialysis.

International audienc

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is not a contra indication in chronic respiratory failure (CRF) patients : About 11 cases.

International audienc