Contributions
Abstract: P339
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - 5 Epidemiology
Background: Previous research suggests an association of head trauma with multiple sclerosis risk, but methodological limitations have included retrospective data collection and small study populations. This study assesses whether concussion in childhood or adolescence is associated with subsequent multiple sclerosis risk using prospectively recorded data.
Methods: The national Swedish Patient (hospital diagnoses) and Multiple Sclerosis registers were used to identify all MS diagnoses up to 2012 among people born from 1964, when the Patient Register was established. The 7292 patients with multiple sclerosis were matched individually with 10 people without MS by sex, year of birth, age/vital status at multiple sclerosis diagnosis, and region of residence (county), resulting in a study population of 80212. Diagnoses of concussion and control diagnoses of broken limb bones were identified using the Patient Register from birth to age 10 years or from ages 11 to 20 years. Conditional logistic regression was used to examine associations with Multiple Sclerosis.
Results: Concussion in adolescence was associated with a raised risk of multiple sclerosis, producing adjusted odds ratios (and 95% confidence intervals) of 1.22 (1.05-1.42, p=0.008) and 2.33 (1.35-4.04, p=0.002) for one diagnosis of concussion, or more than one diagnosis of concussion, respectively, compared with none. No notable association with multiple sclerosis was observed for concussion in childhood, or broken limb bones in childhood or in adolescence.
Conclusions: Head trauma in adolescence, particularly if repeated, is associated with a raised risk of subsequent multiple sclerosis, possibly due to initiation of an autoimmune process in the central nervous system. This further emphasises the importance of protecting young people from head injuries.
Disclosure:
S.M. received funding to acquire the data used here from F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. and Novartis Pharma AG.
S. M. has also received multiple sclerosis research funding from AstraZeneca.
T. O. has received advisory board, lecture honoraria or unrestricted MS research grants from Biogen, Novartis, Genzyme and Merck.
L. A. has received personal fees from Teva Pharmaceuticals and Biogen Idec for lecturing.
Abstract: P339
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - 5 Epidemiology
Background: Previous research suggests an association of head trauma with multiple sclerosis risk, but methodological limitations have included retrospective data collection and small study populations. This study assesses whether concussion in childhood or adolescence is associated with subsequent multiple sclerosis risk using prospectively recorded data.
Methods: The national Swedish Patient (hospital diagnoses) and Multiple Sclerosis registers were used to identify all MS diagnoses up to 2012 among people born from 1964, when the Patient Register was established. The 7292 patients with multiple sclerosis were matched individually with 10 people without MS by sex, year of birth, age/vital status at multiple sclerosis diagnosis, and region of residence (county), resulting in a study population of 80212. Diagnoses of concussion and control diagnoses of broken limb bones were identified using the Patient Register from birth to age 10 years or from ages 11 to 20 years. Conditional logistic regression was used to examine associations with Multiple Sclerosis.
Results: Concussion in adolescence was associated with a raised risk of multiple sclerosis, producing adjusted odds ratios (and 95% confidence intervals) of 1.22 (1.05-1.42, p=0.008) and 2.33 (1.35-4.04, p=0.002) for one diagnosis of concussion, or more than one diagnosis of concussion, respectively, compared with none. No notable association with multiple sclerosis was observed for concussion in childhood, or broken limb bones in childhood or in adolescence.
Conclusions: Head trauma in adolescence, particularly if repeated, is associated with a raised risk of subsequent multiple sclerosis, possibly due to initiation of an autoimmune process in the central nervous system. This further emphasises the importance of protecting young people from head injuries.
Disclosure:
S.M. received funding to acquire the data used here from F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. and Novartis Pharma AG.
S. M. has also received multiple sclerosis research funding from AstraZeneca.
T. O. has received advisory board, lecture honoraria or unrestricted MS research grants from Biogen, Novartis, Genzyme and Merck.
L. A. has received personal fees from Teva Pharmaceuticals and Biogen Idec for lecturing.