Contributions
Abstract: P326
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - MS and gender
Background: Time of menarche has declined over the last century. It has been suggested that this may contribute to the increasing incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) among women. Previous studies have shown conflicting results regarding the influence on age at MS onset.
Objectives: To study time of menarche and risk of MS in a case-control design in ethnic Danish individuals, and further to evaluate the influence on time at MS onset.
Methods: Data from a comprehensive environmental/lifestyle questionnaire were collected from Danish MS patients and controls. MS patients were recruited among 2775 individuals from the Danish MS Biobank, 2058 (74%) responded. The control group consisted of blood donors, recruited from five major donor locations, where only two places were able to calculate the response rate which was 75 and 90%. In total we have questionnaire data from 7289 individuals (2058 cases and 5231 controls). Of these, 529 (7%) were excluded due to other etnicity than Danish and other 248 (3%) for age corrections. Thus, we included 6512 individuals (1827 patients and 4685 controls). 3408 (96%) women (1295 patients, 2113 controls) had completed data sets for the investigated parameters and were included in the analyses. Information on age at onset was obtained from the Danish MS Registry. A logistic regression model was used to investigate the association between menarche and the risk of MS. The risk was adjusted for year of birth. Univariate regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between time of menarche and age at disease onset.
Results: Mean (SD) age at menarche was lower in patients compared to controls, 13.1 (1.5) vs 13.3 (1.4), p=0.01. For each additional year of menarche the risk of MS decreased by 5% (Odds ratio = 0.95 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.905-0.997, p < 0.04)). Additionally, we found a positive association between age at menarche and age at MS onset (p < 0.001), with an effect size of 0.67, meaning that age at onset decreases 0.67 years as age of menarche decreases by one year.
Conclusions: We found an association between earlier age at menarche and increased risk of MS. In addition, we found an association between earlier age at menarche and earlier age at onset of MS.
Disclosure:
Annette Bang Oturai has served on scientific advisory boards for Biogen Idec and Genzyme; has received research support from Novartis and Biogen Idec; has received speaker honoraria from Biogen Idec, Novartis and TEVA; and has received support for congress participation from, Merck Serono, Teva, Biogen, Novartis and Genzyme.
Finn Sellebjerg has served on scientific advisory boards for Biogen Idec, Genzyme, Merck Serono, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis and Teva, has been on the steering committee of a clinical trial sponsored by Merck Serono, and served as consultant for Biogen Idec and Novo Nordisk; has received support for congress participation from Biogen Idec, Novartis, Genzyme (Sanofi-aventis) and Teva; has received speaker honoraria from Bayer Schering, Biogen Idec, Genzyme, Merck Serono, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis and Schering-Plough. His laboratory has received research support from Biogen Idec, Bayer Schering, Merck Serono, Sanofi-Aventis and Novartis.
Nils-Koch Henriksen has received honoraria for lecturing and participation in advisory councils, travel expenses for attending congresses and meetings, and financial support for monitoring the Danish MS Treatment Register from Bayer-Schering, Merck-Serono, BiogenIdec, TEVA, Sanofi-Avensis.
Helle Bach Søndergaard has received support for congress participation from TEVA and Genzyme.
Julie Hejgaard Laursen has received honoraria for lecturing from Merck Serono and has had travel expenses reimbursed by Teva, Almirall and Merck Serono.
Henrik Ullum has received honoraria for lecturing from Roche.
Lise Wegner Thørner has nothing to disclouse.
Abstract: P326
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - MS and gender
Background: Time of menarche has declined over the last century. It has been suggested that this may contribute to the increasing incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) among women. Previous studies have shown conflicting results regarding the influence on age at MS onset.
Objectives: To study time of menarche and risk of MS in a case-control design in ethnic Danish individuals, and further to evaluate the influence on time at MS onset.
Methods: Data from a comprehensive environmental/lifestyle questionnaire were collected from Danish MS patients and controls. MS patients were recruited among 2775 individuals from the Danish MS Biobank, 2058 (74%) responded. The control group consisted of blood donors, recruited from five major donor locations, where only two places were able to calculate the response rate which was 75 and 90%. In total we have questionnaire data from 7289 individuals (2058 cases and 5231 controls). Of these, 529 (7%) were excluded due to other etnicity than Danish and other 248 (3%) for age corrections. Thus, we included 6512 individuals (1827 patients and 4685 controls). 3408 (96%) women (1295 patients, 2113 controls) had completed data sets for the investigated parameters and were included in the analyses. Information on age at onset was obtained from the Danish MS Registry. A logistic regression model was used to investigate the association between menarche and the risk of MS. The risk was adjusted for year of birth. Univariate regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between time of menarche and age at disease onset.
Results: Mean (SD) age at menarche was lower in patients compared to controls, 13.1 (1.5) vs 13.3 (1.4), p=0.01. For each additional year of menarche the risk of MS decreased by 5% (Odds ratio = 0.95 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.905-0.997, p < 0.04)). Additionally, we found a positive association between age at menarche and age at MS onset (p < 0.001), with an effect size of 0.67, meaning that age at onset decreases 0.67 years as age of menarche decreases by one year.
Conclusions: We found an association between earlier age at menarche and increased risk of MS. In addition, we found an association between earlier age at menarche and earlier age at onset of MS.
Disclosure:
Annette Bang Oturai has served on scientific advisory boards for Biogen Idec and Genzyme; has received research support from Novartis and Biogen Idec; has received speaker honoraria from Biogen Idec, Novartis and TEVA; and has received support for congress participation from, Merck Serono, Teva, Biogen, Novartis and Genzyme.
Finn Sellebjerg has served on scientific advisory boards for Biogen Idec, Genzyme, Merck Serono, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis and Teva, has been on the steering committee of a clinical trial sponsored by Merck Serono, and served as consultant for Biogen Idec and Novo Nordisk; has received support for congress participation from Biogen Idec, Novartis, Genzyme (Sanofi-aventis) and Teva; has received speaker honoraria from Bayer Schering, Biogen Idec, Genzyme, Merck Serono, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis and Schering-Plough. His laboratory has received research support from Biogen Idec, Bayer Schering, Merck Serono, Sanofi-Aventis and Novartis.
Nils-Koch Henriksen has received honoraria for lecturing and participation in advisory councils, travel expenses for attending congresses and meetings, and financial support for monitoring the Danish MS Treatment Register from Bayer-Schering, Merck-Serono, BiogenIdec, TEVA, Sanofi-Avensis.
Helle Bach Søndergaard has received support for congress participation from TEVA and Genzyme.
Julie Hejgaard Laursen has received honoraria for lecturing from Merck Serono and has had travel expenses reimbursed by Teva, Almirall and Merck Serono.
Henrik Ullum has received honoraria for lecturing from Roche.
Lise Wegner Thørner has nothing to disclouse.