RESEARCH - A prospective study of conditions associated with MS

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Multiple Sclerosis, Vol. 10, No. 5, 575-581 (2004)

A prospective study of conditions associated with multiple sclerosis

in a cohort of 658 consecutive outpatients attending a multiple

sclerosis clinic

L J

Division of Clinical Neurology, Queen's Medical Centre, University of

Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK

C S Constantinescu

Division of Clinical Neurology, Queen's Medical Centre, University of

Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK

The cause of multiple sclerosis (MS) remains unknown. It is largely

regarded as being an inflammatory autoimmune disease and has been

reported in association with other inflammatory/autoimmune diseases.

We performed a prospective study in 658 consecutive patients diagnosed

with MS attending our outpatient MS management clinic between June

2002 and June 2003. Prevalence of associated conditions in these

patients was calculated and compared with values from population

studies using chi-square tests, odds ratios and confidence intervals.

The MS population had significantly increased rates of asthma,

inflammatory bowel disease, type I diabetes mellitus, pernicious

anaemia, autoimmune thyroid disease, uveitis, seronegative

spondyloarthropathies, bipolar disorder and melanoma compared to the

general population. Both T helper type 1 (Th1)-mediated and T helper

type 2 (Th2)-mediated diseases were significantly increased compared

to the general population. There were also interesting associations

seen with polyglandular autoimmune syndrome and rare single case

associations.

MS is associated with several other conditions. This work does not

give evidence for the hypothesis that MS and atopy, reflecting Th1 and

Th2 polarization, respectively, are mutually exclusive. Further work,

ideally with a matched control population, is indicated.

http://msj.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/10/5/575

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Not an MD