Who gets MSA?
MSA usually starts between the ages of 50-60 years, although it can affect people younger and older than this. The mean age of onset is 54. MSA usually occurs after age 50, with a slightly higher incidence in males. Between 25,000 and 100,000 American have multiple system atrophy. The incidence (new case per 100,000 person years) for ages 50 to 99 years is 3.0 (Bower et al, 1997), or about half as frequent as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).
