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PubMed1985

Clinical sub-groups of multiple sclerosis in relation to HLA: DR alleles as possible markers of disease progression.

We have examined the distribution of HLA antigens in 70 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients divided in three groups defined according to clinical criteria: benign MS, severe MS, cerebellar MS. We have found a significant association between severe MS and HLA-DR2, and between benign MS of more than 15 years of evolution and HLA-DR3. We review previous work along the same line and conclude that the association of HLA antigens with "clinical subgroups of MS" could indicate a genetically based heterogeneity of the disease and offer help in establishing a prognosis.

Cerebellar Diseases↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The epidemiology of cocaine and opiate abuse in urban Canada.

This study describes the epidemiology of cocaine and heroin abuse in urban Canada as part of an initial report on a national substance abuse surveillance system, the Canadian Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use. Data pertaining to prevalence of use, law enforcement, treatment, morbidity and mortality of cocaine and heroin were obtained from the appropriate health and law enforcement institutions in six sentinel cities: Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax. Cocaine and heroin appear to be more available in Vancouver than in the remaining cities. In all CCENDU cities, large proportions of persons in treatment programs for substance abuse identified cocaine as their major addiction; however, there is considerable variation in treatment utilization regarding heroin. Vancouver ranks first in terms of the per capita number of cocaine- and heroin-related hospital separations and mortality rate. Cocaine abuse appears to be an emerging problem in Calgary, Winnipeg and Halifax, and opiate abuse appears to be an emerging problem in Calgary.

Adolescent↗