Life expectancy in patients attending multiple sclerosis clinics

Sadovnick, A. D. PhD
Ebers, G. C. MD
Wilson, R. W.
Paty, D. W. MD

From the Multiple Sclerosis Clinic (Drs. Sadovnick and Paty), University Hospital-UBC Site, and the Department of Medical Genetics (Dr. Sadovnick), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC; the Multiple Sclerosis Clinic (Dr. Ebers), University Hospital, University of Western Ontario, London. ON; and the Sunlife Assurance Company of Canada (R.W. Wilson), Toronto, ON, Canada.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. A.D. Sadovnick, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 226–6174 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC. Canada V6T 123.

Supported by the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada and the Molson Foundation. Dr. Sadovnick's personal support is, in part, from the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, British Columbia Division.

Received May 29, 1991. Accepted for publication in final form October 29, 1991.

Neurology 42(5):p 991-994, May 1992.

Article abstract

Once multiple sclerosis (MS) is diagnosed, important considerations often include life expectancy and the availability of life insurance. We designed a study specifically to examine life expectancy among MS clinic patients and analyzed the data using standard actuarial methods, both including and excluding suicides. The data show that severe MS disability, as measured by an Expanded Disability Status Score (EDSS) of ≥7.5, is a major risk factor for death with case fatality ratios for this group of patients approaching 4 times the rate for controls. Conversely, excluding deaths by suicide, case fatality ratios for those with mild and moderate disability (EDSS ≤ 7.0) approach 1.4 times and 1.6 times for age- and sex-matched comparison groups. Life tables indicate that the overall life expectancy for MS is only about 6 to 7 years less than that for the “insured” population without MS.