The contribution of mortality statistics to the study of multiple sclerosis in Australia.

Mortality statistics provided a valuable source of support for data obtained from prevalence surveys of multiple sclerosis in Australia. Firstly, multiple sclerosis mortality data for the decade 1971-80 in the States of Australia confirmed the relationship between increasing disease frequency and increasing south latitude shown by State and regional point prevalence surveys based on the national census day 30 June 1981. Secondly, a comparison with mortality data from the decade 1950-59 showed that in most States there had been a substantial fall in multiple sclerosis mortality in the more recent decade and this was clearly an important contributing factor to the rise in prevalence noted between the morbidity surveys of 1961 and 1981.

Survey of disability that is associated with Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease is a relatively-common and disabling neurological condition. The aim of this study was to gather clinical and sociodemographic data on a sample of patients with Parkinson's disease in Tasmania, and to determine the impact of the disease on the patients. Sixty patients were studied.

Limbic encephalitis associated with malignant thymoma.

A case of limbic encephalitis associated with recurrent malignant thymoma in a 41-year-old male is described. The patient presented with confusion, loss of memory, hallucinations, abnormal behaviour, tachycardia and profuse sweating. Investigations were unrewarding and the patient's clinical state deteriorated until his death 1 month after presentation.

The clinical profile of MS in Australia: a comparison between medium- and high-frequency prevalence zones.

Recent epidemiologic studies of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Australia defined the State of Queensland as a medium-frequency zone and the more southerly placed cities of Perth, Newcastle, and Hobart as high-frequency zones. Clinical profiles in the patient populations of both frequency zones were remarkably similar in most respects to each other and to MS populations in the northern hemisphere. However, male patients in Queensland differed from their counterparts in the three cities by showing a greater tendency to develop a progressive disease course and, hence, more disability.

The epidemiology of multiple sclerosis in three Australian cities: Perth, Newcastle and Hobart.

An epidemiological survey of multiple sclerosis (MS) in three Australian cities, Perth, Newcastle and Hobart, was undertaken with its prevalence day being the national census day on June 30, 1981, exactly twenty years after a previous survey of the same cities. The relationship between increasing prevalence and increasing south latitude found in the 1961 survey was confirmed in this present study. Prevalence rates had increased significantly over the twenty years between the studies.