Emergency department use by persons with MS: A population-based descriptive study with a focus on infection-related visits. (October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Graf, Jonas; Ng, Huah Shin; Zhu, Feng; Zhao, Yinshan; Wijnands, José MA; Evans, Charity; Fisk, John D; Marrie, Ruth Ann; Tremlett, Helen
• Is Part Of: Multiple sclerosis. Volume 28:Number 11(2022)
• Page Start: 1825
• Page End: 1828
• Publication Date: 2022-10
• Subjects: Multiple sclerosis -- emergency department -- healthcare utilization -- population-based data; Central nervous system -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Myelin sheath -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Inflammation -- Periodicals; Multiple sclerosis -- Periodicals; Central Nervous System Diseases -- Periodicals; Demyelinating Diseases -- Periodicals; Inflammation -- Periodicals; Multiple Sclerosis -- Periodicals; Système nerveux central -- Maladies -- Périodiques; Gaine de myéline -- Maladies -- Périodiques; Inflammation (Pathologie) -- Périodiques; Sclérose en plaques -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 616.834005
• DOI: 10.1177/13524585221078497
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1352-4585

Abstract

We described emergency department (ED) visits (all visits and infection-related) by persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) in British Columbia, Canada (1 April 2012 to 31 December 2017). We identified 15, 350 MS cases using health administrative data; 73.4% were women, averaging 51.4 years at study entry. Over 4.9 years of follow-up (mean), 56.0% of MS cases visited an ED (mean = 0.6 visits/person/year; total = 37, 072 visits). A diagnosis was documented for 25, 698 (69.3%) ED visits, and 18.4% (4725/25, 698) were infection-related. Inpatient admissions were reported for 20.4% (5238/25, 698) of all and 29.2% (1380/4725) of infection-related ED visits. Findings suggest that the ED plays a substantial role in MS healthcare and infection management.