*Correspondence: kevingustavo30@gmail.com.
Abstract
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immunological disease that leads to demyelination,
neurodegeneration and chronic inflammation of the central nervous system. Approximately
2-10% of individuals with MS experience their first episode as a child. MS progresses
with fatigue, depression, seizures, impaired mobility and cognition. Studies around
the world have shown that the diagnostic criteria for MS in the pediatric population
have evolved considerably in the last decade, which contributes to early diagnosis.
Objective: To determine the panorama of Multiple Sclerosis cases in the Brazilian pediatric
population.
Methods: This is an epidemiological and retrospective study. The database used was the Department
of Informatics of the Sistema Único de Saúde (DATASUS). Data were collected on April
23, 2023. In DATASUS, the field “Epidemiological and morbidity” was selected, and
later, “SUS Hospital Morbity (SIH/SUS)”. Then, the option “General, by place of residence
- from 2008 onwards” was chosen and as Geographic Coverage “Brazil by Region and Unit
of the Federation”. The period analyzed comprises January 2012 to December 2022. Then,
in the CID-10 morbidity list, the modality “Multiple sclerosis” was chosen. The “year
of service” option was selected in the “line” field. After these selections, the categories
“gender”, color/race” and “age group” were used. Patients aged up to 9 years were
included. After collection, a percentage analysis of the acquired data was performed.
Results: In total, 96 hospitalizations were recorded in the period, 58.33% female and 41.66%
male. As for race, 46.87% were brown, followed by 36.45% white, 15.625% unregistered
and 1.04% black. The vast majority (91.66%) were aged between 5 and 9 years, followed
by 1 to 4 (6.25%) and less than 1 year (2.08%). Regarding the location, the Southeast
region concentrated the majority of admissions (56.25%), followed by the Northeast
(19.79%), Midwest (13.54%), South (6.25%) and North (4.16%).
Conclusion: The epidemiological profile of Multiple Sclerosis in children under 10 years old
in Brazil is the girl, brown, aged between 5 and 9 years old and residing in the southeast
of the country.
