[Patients with multiple sclerosis among the Lódź population. II. Clinical course of the disease and patient fitness].

The motor fitness was assessed in multiple sclerosis patients remaining in their homes in the City of Lódź. The age of the patients was up to 46 years; 5-6 years earlier they had been registered within one year in neurological health service institutions after variously long periods of the disease. The proportion of those with severe motor impairment was 14%, and it was highest (17%) in the groups with disease duration 10-14 years. Nearly half of the group, independently of the age, sex and disease duration, were patients who could move about and perform household works. The proportion of fully fit and nearly fully fit was highest (83%) among those whose disease began under the age of 20 years, and it was lowest (42%) in those with disease onset at the age of 20-29 years. A tendency was observed for a different development of motor function impairment in both sexes depending on the age, age at disease onset and disease duration. In the light of the obtained results it is estimated that in the population of cities in Poland in the whole group of multiple sclerosis patients or subjects with suspected multiple sclerosis registered within one year after variously long disease duration about 40-50% remain after 5-6 years still completely or nearly completely fit.