The author submits the results of an epidemiological investigation of multiple sclerosis in the catchment area of the neurological ambulatory department of the Teplice Hospital and Policlinic which comprises a population of 88 100. On check-up of a group of 209 patients dispensarized at the time of Dec. 31 1992 the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis was confirmed in 75 subjects (35%) of the original group. In 94 dispensarized patients (46%) another diagnosis than sclerosis multiplex was established. Of 209 dispen- sarized subjects 25 (12%) died, the calculated mean mortality is 5.7 cases per 100 000 population. Eight subjects (4% of those dispensarized) moved away from the district, on the fate of another seven subjects (3%) no information could be procured. During the five-year period from Jan. 1 1993 till Dec. 31 1998 the diagnosis of sclerosis multiplex was established in another 49 patients. The calculated incidence of the disease is 9.08 cases per 100 000 population, the prevalence 130.5/100 000. The assembled data suggest a higher incidence of multiple sclerosis in urban agglomerations (prevalence: towns 132.8, rural areas 96.5 per 10 000 population). 63% of the patients are women, the incidence in women being 1.7x higher than in men. The onset of the disease occurred in 71% of the patients at an age under 35 years, the youngest patient at the time of development of the first symptoms was 14, the oldest 56 years. The mean age at the time of the first attack was 30.9 years. At the time of the examination the group comprised 68.5% patients above 36 years, the youngest patients was 18 years old, the oldest 67 years. The mean age of the group at the time of the examination was 41.7 years and mean duration of the disease 10.9 years with an interval of 1–43 years. Based on the above results the author points to the need of an epidemiological survey done according to a uniform protocol which will lead to a critical re-evaluation of the incidence of sclerosis multiplex in the Czech Republic.

        Key words: multiple sclerosis, epidemiology, geography, incidence, mortality, prevalence in Czech Republic