Contributions
Abstract: EP1346
Type: ePoster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - 5 Epidemiology
Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) affects women more often than men. It is reported that MS is more aggressive in non-Caucasian men. The Puerto Rico MS (PRMS) Registry reported the highest incidence and prevalence among other Hispanic population.
Objective: Describe the Hispanic male MS patient in Puerto Rico (HMMS-PR).
Methods: Data was collected from the PRMS registry of newly diagnosed patients for the period 2013-2016. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results: Out of 633 evaluated patients 159(25.12%) were male. Average age at onset was 33.4 and at diagnosis were 38.9. The time lag between symptom onset and diagnosis showed that 73.74% of patients were diagnosed within 0-5 years of their first symptom, 21.21% were diagnosed within 6-15 years, 3.03% were diagnosed within 16-25 years, and 2.02% within 26-31 years. The most common initial symptom was a sensory symptom (53.92%), followed by visual (40.20%), and then motor (32.35%). One fourth of the HMMS were disabled. 68.33% had EDSS scores from 0-3.0, 28.33% had a score of 3.5-6.0, and 3.33% had an EDSS score from 6.5-9. Vitamin D was also evaluated and it was shown that 65.22% of these patients had deficient/insufficient levels. 62.37% of patients had no smoking history and only 14.0% had a blood relative with MS. Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes was seem in 17.82%, 6.93%, and 5.94% of patients respectively.
Conclusion: Our results show that HMMS-PR patients in this sample do not present a more aggressive MS presentation as was previously believed. The majority of the newly diagnosed male cases have an EDSS score bellow 3.0, which suggests that these individuals have low level of disability at diagnosis. The most common first symptom among newly diagnosed HMMS patients is a sensory symptom, followed by a visual and motor symptom. The time lag to diagnosis is in concordance with previously calculated number (4.1 years) and is similar to female patients. Vitamin D levels were found to be insufficient/deficient on most HMMS patients further validating the belief that it is a risk factor for MS. This study helps elucidate MS disease course in HMMS. Also, it shows that there is need to characterize more ethnic specific prognostic factors for MS patients since these non-Caucasian male patients do not depict a more severe MS presentation. Comparing these results to other MS male ethnic groups could help define racial differences among male MS patients.
Disclosure: Angel Chinea is Speaker and/or consulting for Acorda, Allergan, Biogen, Genentech, Novartis, Sanofi Genzyme, Mallinckrodt and Teva); research support (Biogen, Novartis). Research grants from Chugai, Novartis, Genzyme, Sanofi, Biogen and Teva
Ivonne Vicente, Cristina Rubi, Ana Rivera, Guillermo Garcia, Astrid K Diaz: Have nothing to disclose.
Abstract: EP1346
Type: ePoster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - 5 Epidemiology
Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) affects women more often than men. It is reported that MS is more aggressive in non-Caucasian men. The Puerto Rico MS (PRMS) Registry reported the highest incidence and prevalence among other Hispanic population.
Objective: Describe the Hispanic male MS patient in Puerto Rico (HMMS-PR).
Methods: Data was collected from the PRMS registry of newly diagnosed patients for the period 2013-2016. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results: Out of 633 evaluated patients 159(25.12%) were male. Average age at onset was 33.4 and at diagnosis were 38.9. The time lag between symptom onset and diagnosis showed that 73.74% of patients were diagnosed within 0-5 years of their first symptom, 21.21% were diagnosed within 6-15 years, 3.03% were diagnosed within 16-25 years, and 2.02% within 26-31 years. The most common initial symptom was a sensory symptom (53.92%), followed by visual (40.20%), and then motor (32.35%). One fourth of the HMMS were disabled. 68.33% had EDSS scores from 0-3.0, 28.33% had a score of 3.5-6.0, and 3.33% had an EDSS score from 6.5-9. Vitamin D was also evaluated and it was shown that 65.22% of these patients had deficient/insufficient levels. 62.37% of patients had no smoking history and only 14.0% had a blood relative with MS. Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes was seem in 17.82%, 6.93%, and 5.94% of patients respectively.
Conclusion: Our results show that HMMS-PR patients in this sample do not present a more aggressive MS presentation as was previously believed. The majority of the newly diagnosed male cases have an EDSS score bellow 3.0, which suggests that these individuals have low level of disability at diagnosis. The most common first symptom among newly diagnosed HMMS patients is a sensory symptom, followed by a visual and motor symptom. The time lag to diagnosis is in concordance with previously calculated number (4.1 years) and is similar to female patients. Vitamin D levels were found to be insufficient/deficient on most HMMS patients further validating the belief that it is a risk factor for MS. This study helps elucidate MS disease course in HMMS. Also, it shows that there is need to characterize more ethnic specific prognostic factors for MS patients since these non-Caucasian male patients do not depict a more severe MS presentation. Comparing these results to other MS male ethnic groups could help define racial differences among male MS patients.
Disclosure: Angel Chinea is Speaker and/or consulting for Acorda, Allergan, Biogen, Genentech, Novartis, Sanofi Genzyme, Mallinckrodt and Teva); research support (Biogen, Novartis). Research grants from Chugai, Novartis, Genzyme, Sanofi, Biogen and Teva
Ivonne Vicente, Cristina Rubi, Ana Rivera, Guillermo Garcia, Astrid K Diaz: Have nothing to disclose.