22 Thirteen Multiple Sclerosis facts

  1. More than 100,000 people in the UK have MS (2.3 million worldwide).
  2. There is no single test for MS – patients are diagnosed according to the McDonald criteria.
  3. Patients are most commonly diagnosed in their 20s or 30s although it is not uncommon to be diagnosed when younger or older than this.
  4. Some studies have shown that progression and severity of the disease is worse for those diagnosed after the age of 45.
  5. MS affects almost 3 times as many women as men.
  6. 85% of those diagnosed with MS have a Relapsing Remitting form of the disease (RRMS)
  7. 10-15% are diagnosed with Primary Progressive MS (PPMS)
  8. Between 50 to 90% of those who have RRMS (depending on where you read) will become secondary progressive (SPMS).
  9. There is no drug treatment available for progressive forms of MS (PPMS and SPMS), other than to manage symptoms.
  10. The exact cause of MS is not known, although it is thought there are many genetic and environment contributory factors.
  11. There is a correlation between distance from the equator and incidence of MS, meaning MS is more prevalent in Scotland than it is in England (thought to be linked to exposure to the sun and lower vitamin D levels). 
  12. The course of the disease is unpredictable in individuals.
  13. MS is not a terminal illness, however the life expectancy of individuals with MS is slightly lower than that of the general population.