This paper describes a statistical survey on the pathology, diagnosis and rehabilitation of wall renderings. The survey was based on an inspection and diagnosis support system that comprises the classification of anomalies in renderings, their most probable causes, diagnosis methods and repair and maintenance techniques. The on-site work that led to this statistics collection involved standard inspections of 55 buildings, located in Lisbon, and a total of 150 wall renderings (100 external and 50 interior). The results of this survey provide indications on the intervention actions at the design, execution and use/maintenance stages in order to decrease the magnitude of or eradicate anomalies in wall renderings. The implementation of a system of this kind could directly improve the quality of constructions.

No abstract

BackgroundA debate surrounding multiple sclerosis epidemiology has centred on time-related incidence increases and the need of monitoring. The purpose of this study is to reassess multiple sclerosis incidence in the European Economic Area.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review of literature from 1965 onwards and integrated elements of original research, including requested or completed data by surveys authors and specific analyses.ResultsThe review of 5323 documents yielded ten studies for age- and sex-specific analyses, and 21 studies for time-trend analysis of single data sets. After 1985, the incidence of multiple sclerosis ranged from 1.12 to 6.96 per 100,000 population, was higher in females, tripled with latitude, and doubled with study midpoint year. The north registered increasing trends from the 1960s and 1970s, with a historic drop in the Faroe Islands, and fairly stable data in the period 1980-2000; incidence rose in Italian and French populations in the period 1970-2000, in Evros (Greece) in the 1980s, and in the French West Indies in around 2000.ConclusionsWe conclude that the increase in multiple sclerosis incidence is only apparent, and that it is not specific to women. Monitoring of multiple sclerosis incidence might be appropriate for the European Economic Area.

Studies suggest that patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who do not benefit from other disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) may benefit from converting to glatiramer acetate (GA). COPTIMIZE was a 24-month observational study designed to assess the disease course of patients converting to GA 20 mg daily from another DMT. Eligible patients had converted to GA and had received prior DMT for 3–6 months, depending on the reasons for conversion. Patients were assessed at baseline and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. In total, 672 patients from 148 centers worldwide were included in the analysis. Change of therapy to GA was prompted primarily by lack of efficacy (53.6 %) or intolerable adverse events (AEs; 44.8 %). Over a 24-month period, 72.7 % of patients were relapse free. Mean annual relapse rate decreased from 0.86 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.81–0.91] before the change to 0.32 (95 % CI 0.26–0.40; p < 0.0001) at last observation, while the progression of disability was halted, as the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores remained stable. Patients improved significantly (p < 0.05) on measures of fatigue, quality of life, depression, and cognition; mobility scores remained stable. The results indicate that changing RRMS patients to GA is associated with positive treatment outcomes.

Our series is one of the largest addressing the influence of specific climatic factors on MS relapses. The number of clinical MS relapses seems to be unrelated to climatic factors.

Background: Capture-recapture methods (CRMs) are well established in epidemiologic surveillance and considered useful for the task of correcting for case-finding limitations in multiple sclerosis (MS) prevalence surveys. To date, however, CRMs have been exclusively applied to crude prevalence figures. This study therefore sought to explore an age-specific application of this method to an urban Portuguese population of 229,342. Methods: We used a CRM to correct for the age-specific prevalence of MS obtained from two data sources, i.e. general practitioners in three primary-care districts and a neurology unit at the referral hospital. The corrected figures were adjusted for age using the European standard population as reference. Results: When applied to 95 MS patients, the CRM impact was highest at ages 50–59 years, with a 110% increase in cases where the corrected prevalence was highest, i.e. 181.8 (95% CI 75.7–287.9) per 100,000, and lowest, nil, at ages ≥70 years, with an unchanged corrected prevalence of 13.8. The crude prevalence of 41.4 per 100,000 increased by 36% to 56.20 per 100,000 when it was CRM- and age-adjusted. Source independence was poor. Conclusions: CRMs can be differentially applied to MS counts. Valid comparisons may require simultaneous adjustment for age and other variables, such as diagnostic delay and diagnostic criteria. CRM applications to crude figures and dependent sources should be approached with caution.

The prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Portugal is still unknown. Recent studies conducted in southern European countries showed higher than expected rates of MS prevalence. In an attempt to evaluate the MS prevalence in Santarém--a district with 62621 inhabitants (1991 census) located in the centre of Portugal--we have conducted a population survey in this district for five years. The crude prevalence rate found was 46.3/100,000. This figure is not different from findings recently reported in studies conducted at similar latitudes in neighbour southern European countries. This was the first population survey conducted in Portugal, and it is the first accurate contribution to the knowledge of the MS prevalence in this country.

No abstract