Multiple Sclerosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Multiple Sclerosis, including details on diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, prognosis.

A timing-of-birth effect on multiple sclerosis clinical phenotype.

Sadovnick AD, Duquette P, Herrera B, Yee IM, Ebers GC

Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. sadovnik@infinet.net

BACKGROUND: A month-of-birth (MOB) effect has been shown in multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: Our chi(2) analyses looked at whether this MOB effect differed by MS phenotype ("bout onset," "primary progressive"). RESULTS: The MOB effect was derived from "bout onset" MS patients (May/November ratio = 1.43; chi(2) = 17.32, df = 1, p = 0.000032). CONCLUSIONS: An unspecified environmental effect in early development can influence both multiple sclerosis susceptibility and phenotype.

Published 3 July 2007 in Neurology, 69(1): 60-2.
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