Mortality in persons with multiple sclerosis in the Seattle and Los Angeles areas
R. M. Malmgren, J. P. Dudley, B. R. Visscher, N. L. Valdiviezo, V. A. Clark and R. Detels
Case-mortality and survival rates of more than 2,000 prevalent cases of
multiple sclerosis (MS) residing in either Los Angeles County, California,
or King and Pierce Counties, Washington, and followed up for 105 months,
are reported. Case-mortality at the end 105 months was 16.9% of the total
group. All age and sex groups had a lower survival rate than the US general
population; this difference was especially pronounced in the
high-disability groups. There was a trend toward higher case-mortality in
high-disability Los Angeles County patients when compared with
high-disability patients from King and Pierce Counties.
