[Fingolimod: effectiveness and safety in routine clinical practice. An observational, retrospective, multi-centre study in the province of Alicante].

Introduction: Post-authorisation studies are important to confirm whether the outcomes of clinical trials are reproduced in usual clinical practice.

Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of fingolimod in clinical practice in the province of Alicante.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective multi-centre study was conducted with remitting multiple sclerosis patients treated with fingolimod.

[The prevalence of multiple sclerosis in the Alcoi Health district].

Introduction: The epidemiological studies done in Spain in recent years show higher figures for the prevalence of multiple sclerosis than before. Spain is therefore now in the area with a high risk of contracting the disease.

Objective: We have made a new study to confirm the current prevalence of the disorder in the Alcoi Health District.

[Multiple sclerosis incidence in the Alcoi Health district. 12-year-long study (1986-1997)].

Introduction: To date, epidemiological studies on multiple sclerosis in Spain have been basically prevalence studies, and the data on incidence recorded have been the result of different methodologies, with no definition of the criteria for inclusion.

Objective: To carry out a study of incidence with prospective collection/review of cases over a prolonged period of time.

Patients And Methods: Over 12 years, between 1 March 1986 and 31 December 1997, we collected data prospectively for patients with a definite diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.

[Descriptive epidemiology of the vascular risk factors in Bañeres. Study group 'Bañeres Project'].

Introduction: Epidemiological studies of the risk factors of cerebrovascular disease are of great interest, particularly the identification of factors which may be modified. Previous studies carried out in the Alcoi region of Alicante province, showed a high prevalence of cerebrovascular disease. The town of Bañeres was therefore chosen for confirmation of this data and identification of the frequency of vascular risk factors.

A family segregating a Friedreich ataxia phenotype that is not linked to the FRDA locus.

Friedreich ataxia is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder. The genetic homogeneity to the FRDA locus on chromosome 9q13-21.1 has been observed in families from different ancestries.