行政院國家科學委員會專題研究計畫成果報告:台灣多發性硬化症患者之臨床分析及生活品質

Multiple sclerosis (MS) has a lower prevalence rate in Orientals than in
Caucasians. The Japanese are by far the best studied of the non-Caucasoid
populations. In Chinese, there have been reports from Hong Kong, mainland China,
and Taiwan. From Taiwan, Hung et al.(1976) described 25 patients, including two
autopsied patients. Tsai et al. reported 43 cases from Veterans General Hospital,
Taipei in 2002. In this report, clinical findings of 100 patients in Taiwan with
definite MS according to Poser’s criteria and positive findings on magnetic resonance
imaging have been reviewed. The aim of this report is to highlight the clinical course
and pattern of presentation in the largest sample of cases managed so far in Taiwan.
During the past 10 years there have been unprecedented advances in the
development of new disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS). The
emergence of interferon-ß and glatiramer acetate that appear to alter the natural
history of MS is encouraging. These agents were introduced to Taiwan in recent years.
We also present our preliminary results of interferon –ß treatment in patients
with relapsing-remitting MS.