Multiple sclerosis progression is not associated with birth timing in Italy

Ausiliatrice Lucenti; Stefania Galimberti; Nadia Barizzone; Paola Naldi; PROGEMUS Group; PROGRESSO Group; Giancarlo Comi; Filippo Martinelli Boneschi; Sandra D'Alfonso; Maurizio A Leone

doi:10.1016/j.jns.2014.08.021

Multiple sclerosis progression is not associated with birth timing in Italy

J Neurol Sci. 2014 Nov 15;346(1-2):194-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2014.08.021. Epub 2014 Aug 23.

Authors

Ausiliatrice Lucenti¹, Stefania Galimberti², Nadia Barizzone³, Paola Naldi⁴; PROGEMUS Group; PROGRESSO Group; Giancarlo Comi⁵, Filippo Martinelli Boneschi⁶, Sandra D'Alfonso⁷, Maurizio A Leone⁸

Affiliations

¹ MS Centre, SCDU Neurology, Head and Neck Department, AOU "Maggiore della Carità", Corso Mazzini 18, 28100 Novara, Italy; Department of Health Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, Italy. Electronic address: ilia.lucenti@gmail.com.
² Department of Health Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, Italy. Electronic address: stefania.galimberti@unimib.it.
³ Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, Via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy; Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases IRCAD, University of Eastern Piedmont, Via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy. Electronic address: nadia.barizzone@med.unipmn.it.
⁴ MS Centre, SCDU Neurology, Head and Neck Department, AOU "Maggiore della Carità", Corso Mazzini 18, 28100 Novara, Italy. Electronic address: pnaldi@inwind.it.
⁵ Scientific Institute University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: comi.giancarlo@hsr.it.
⁶ Department of Neurology & Laboratory of Neurogenetics of Complex Disease, CNS Inflammatory Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Scientific Institute San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: martinelli.filippo@hsr.it.
⁷ Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, Via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy; Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases IRCAD, University of Eastern Piedmont, Via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy. Electronic address: dalfonso@med.unipmn.it.
⁸ MS Centre, SCDU Neurology, Head and Neck Department, AOU "Maggiore della Carità", Corso Mazzini 18, 28100 Novara, Italy; Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases IRCAD, University of Eastern Piedmont, Via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy. Electronic address: maurizio.leone@maggioreosp.novara.it.

PMID: 25194635
DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2014.08.021

Abstract

Background: Month of birth has been associated in some studies with the susceptibility to develop Multiple Sclerosis (MS). However, only few studies have evaluated whether birth timing also affects disease progression.

Objectives: To assess whether season and month of birth are associated with disease progression in a large cohort of Italian patients.

Methods: Quantile regression was used to analyze the impact of each month and season of birth with all the others combined on the median Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score of 1866 MS patients.

Results: No significant temporal trend was found after adjustment for multiple comparisons.

Conclusions: Birth timing showed no association with MS progression in Italian patients.

Keywords: Month of birth; Multiple sclerosis; Progression; Season.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Age of Onset
Cohort Studies
Disability Evaluation
Disease Progression
Female
Humans
Italy / epidemiology
Male
Middle Aged
Multiple Sclerosis / diagnosis
Multiple Sclerosis / epidemiology*
Regression Analysis
Risk Factors
Seasons*