Description and characteristics of 81 patients attending the Reference Center for Multiple Sclerosis of the coastal region of the state of São Paulo-Brazil.

OBJECTIVE To register multiple sclerosis (MS) patients residing in the coastal region of the State of São Paulo (CEREM Litoral Paulista). METHOD Individual interviews with identified cases of MS. RESULTS 81 individuals with diagnosis of MS agreed to come for registration (62 females [76.5%], 19 males [23.5%]). 65% of all patients were residents of the city of Santos. The mean age of these patients was 43 years (14 to 74 years), and the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was < or = 5.5 in 76.5% of the cases. 82.7% of the assessed patients presented the relapsing/remitting form of MS. 81.5% of all patients were undergoing treatment with immunomodulators. CONCLUSION Due to their clinical profile, patients seem to come to CEREM Litoral Paulista for prescription of immunomodulators. There is a clear need to identify other cases in the region and to allow other forms of treatment to be put into practice.