The relationship between ethnicity and Multiple Sclerosis characteristics in the United Kingdom: a UK MS Register study
Benjamin M Jacobs et al.
Queen Mary University, London
Background: Previous studies have suggested that MS has a more aggressive course in people from Black and Hispanic ethnic backgrounds and an earlier age at onset in Southeast Asian and South Asian persons. It is not clear from these studies if these differences reflect genetic differences in risk associated with these ethnic groups or social determinants of health.
This Study: A longitudinal matched cohort was generated from the the UK MS Register (UKMSR) of > 20,000 adults with MS living in the UK to explore the association of ethnicity with disease severity and progression based on self-reported disability surveys.
Bottom Line: Black and South Asian ethnicity were associated with earlier MS onset, but not associated with disease progression or severity at onset.
