MS on the increase

MS is on the increase, notably in women,
What's the cause?

Is it their shoes?


The Scandinavian registries are a fantastic source of information and they have been monitoring the health of their citizens for decades. 

In this report they again show what other studies have found and this is that the occurrence of MS is increasing, notably in women.

What is the cause?

Although it could be because people are abit more mobile these days and their gene pool is mxing, however it tends to suggests that environment is a big factor and the question is what are the factors?

Because this suggests that susceptibility can be modified. 

As a solution we can trot out the usual suspects, like smoking and eating, eating salt:-), which we all know are important health issues. 

However, could it be more Mulburry bags, Looboutin shoes? 
(Yes I know they are spelt wrong).

Daft idea, yep as the Danes no doubt have their own preference, but the point is made that you have no idea what is important. Smoking has some data, but ice cream consumption could be more important. Last week NDG had sheep and the most read post on the blog is about MS and pets.

However,  unless you do something about it and you modify the behaviour and it has a positive (or negative) impact on disease.

Problem is, this is just like diets, there is little will to fund the studies. 

Is MS preventable?

Koch-Henriksen N, Thygesen LC, Stenager E, Laursen B, Magyari M.Incidence of MS has increased markedly over six decades in Denmark particularly with late onset and in women. Neurology. 2018 May 2. pii: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000005612

OBJECTIVE:To describe the pattern of development of incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) over 60 years in Denmark with age-period-cohort analyses and seasonality of birth.
METHODS:Data on virtually all patients with onset of MS have since 1950 been prospectively recorded and kept in the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Registry with multiple sources of notification. Annualized incidence rates per 100,000 were directly standardized to the European Standard Population.
RESULTS: We have registered 19,536 cases with clinical onset of confirmed MS in Denmark from 1950 to 2009. From the 1950-1959 to the 2000-2009 onset period, incidence more than doubled in women, with an increase from 5.91 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.60-6.24) to 12.33 (95% CI: 11.91-12.75) per 100,000 per year compared with a modest 24% increase in men from 4.52 (95% CI: 4.24-4.81) to 6.08 (95% CI: 5.79-6.38). With age at onset of 50 years and older, incidence increased with a factor 4.30 in women and 2.72 in men. The female/male sex ratio increased over time and with year of birth. Age-period-cohort analysis revealed a significant birth cohort effect in addition to the age and period effect. We found no statistically significant seasonality of births.
CONCLUSION: The incidence of MS has doubled in women, most pronounced with late onset, and has only modestly increased in men. Lifestyle changes in the female population that could include fewer childbirths, increased occurrence of obesity, and increased cigarette consumption may have a role.

Labels: