Clinical and demographic data on deceased persons with multiple sclerosis by period of disease onset, in Hordaland and Møre and Romsdal counties, Western Norway
| Period of onset (N) | ≤1950 (n=141) | 1950–1959 (n=122) | 1960–1969 (n=191) | 1970–1979 (n=376) | 1980–1989 (n=538) | 1990–1999 (n=644) | 2000–2015 (n=1312) | Total |
| Sex | ||||||||
| Female | 81 (8.5%) | 67 (7.0%) | 80 (8.3%) | 139 (14.4%) | 96 (10.0%) | 57 (5.9%) | 15 (1.6%) | 535 (55.5%) |
| Male | 60 (6.2%) | 49 (5.1%) | 67 (7.0%) | 96 (10.0%) | 91 (9.4%) | 42 (4.4%) | 24 (2.5%) | 429 (44.5%) |
| MS-type | ||||||||
| PPMS | 21 (2.2%) | 32 (3.3%) | 34 (3.5%) | 51 (5.3%) | 46 (4.8%) | 35 (3.6%) | 18 (1.8%) | 237 (24.6%) |
| RRMS | 118 (12.2%) | 82 (8.5%) | 113 (11.7%) | 180 (18.7%) | 141 (14.6%) | 61 (6.3%) | 20 (2.1%) | 715 (74.2%) |
| Unknown | 2 (0.2%) | 2 (0.2%) | 0 (0.0%) | 4 (0.4%) | 0 (0.0%) | 3 (0.3%) | 1 (0.1%) | 12 (1.2%) |
| Age at onset | ||||||||
| <20 | 26 (2.7%) | 5 (0.5%) | 14 (1.5%) | 13 (1.3%) | 7 (0.7%) | 3 (0.3%) | 0 (0.0%) | 68 (7.1%) |
| 20–29 | 60 (6.2%) | 44 (4.5%) | 55 (5.7%) | 82 (8.5%) | 44 (4.5%) | 19 (2.0%) | 2 (0.2%) | 306 (31.8%) |
| 30–39 | 41 (4.3%) | 40 (4.1%) | 48 (5.0%) | 72 (7.5%) | 70 (7.3%) | 20 (2.1%) | 12 (1.2%) | 303 (31.4%) |
| 40–49 | 12 (1.2%) | 20 (2.1%) | 22 (2.3%) | 42 (4.4%) | 32 (3.3%) | 33 (3.4%) | 8 (0.8%) | 169 (17.5%) |
| ≥50 | 2 (0.2%) | 7 (0.7%) | 8 (0.8%) | 26 (2.7%) | 34 (3.5%) | 24 (2.5%) | 17 (1.8%) | 118 (12.2%) |
| Age at diagnosis | ||||||||
| <20 | 1 (0.1%) | 1 (0.1%) | 1 (0.1%) | 4 (0.4%) | 5 (0.5%) | 2 (0.2%) | 0 (0.0%) | 14 (1.4%) |
| 20–29 | 17 (1.8%) | 9 (0.9%) | 34 (3.5%) | 42 (4.4%) | 28 (2.9%) | 12 (1.2%) | 2 (0.2%) | 144 (14.9%) |
| 30–39 | 42 (4.4%) | 41 (4.3%) | 44 (4.5%) | 68 (7.1%) | 57 (5.9%) | 20 (2.1%) | 8 (0.8%) | 280 (29.1%) |
| 40–49 | 43 (4.5%) | 33 (3.4%) | 36 (3.7%) | 68 (7.1%) | 47 (4.9%) | 29 (3.0%) | 9 (0.9%) | 265 (27.5%) |
| ≥50 | 38 (3.9%) | 32 (3.3%) | 32 (3.3%) | 53 (5.5%) | 50 (5.2%) | 36 (3.7%) | 2 (0.2%) | 261 (27.1%) |
| Median diagnostic delay (years) | 13.0 | 8.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 4.3 |
| Autopsy* | ||||||||
| No | 132 (13.7%) | 110 (11.4%) | 130 (13.5%) | 208 (21.6%) | 172 (17.8%) | 92 (9.5%) | 34 (3.5%) | 878 (91.1%) |
| Yes | 9 (0.9%) | 6 (0.6%) | 17 (1.7%) | 27 (2.8%) | 15 (1.6%) | 7 (0.7%) | 5 (0.5%) | 86 (8.9%) |
| Place of death | ||||||||
| Private home | 3 (0.3%) | 6 (0.6%) | 10 (1.0%) | 28 (2.9%) | 35 (3.6%) | 13 (1.3%) | 6 (0.6%) | 101 (10.5%) |
| Hospital and other health institution | 111 (11.5%) | 96 (10.0%) | 126 (13.1%) | 198 (20.5%) | 134 (13.9%) | 77 (8.0%) | 26 (2.7%) | 768 (79.7%) |
| Not specified | 27 (2.8%) | 14 (1.5%) | 11 (1.1%) | 9 (0.9%) | 18 (1.9%) | 9 (0.9%) | 7 (0.7%) | 95 (9.8%) |
*Including forensic, medicolegal and unspecified autopsies.
PPMS, Primary-progressive multiple sclerosis.; RRMS, Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.