Romanelli RJ, Huang Q, Lacy J, Hashemi L, Wong A, Smith A., BMC Neurol. 20(1):163. doi: 10.1186/s12883-020-01749-6., 2020 Apr 30
Investigators
Robert Romanelli, Ph.D., MPH, Associate Scientist
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Research is needed to examine differences in multiple sclerosis (MS) prevalence by race-ethnicity. The goal of this study was to quantify MS prevalence in a health care system in Northern California and examine differences in prevalence and phenotype by race-ethnicity.
METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, observational cohort study of adults (2010-2016). MS prevalence estimates were standardised to distributions of gender and race-ethnicity for the underlying geographic region and stratified by gender and race-ethnicity with age adjustment. We performed a chart review of a racial-ethnic stratified sample of patients to examine disease phenotypes.
RESULTS: 1,058,102 patients were identified, of which 3286 had MS. The overall direct-standardised prevalence was 288.0 cases per 100,000 population (95% confidence interval: 276.3-299.8). Age-adjusted prevalence ranged from 677.0 per 100,000 among non-Hispanic black women to 49.7 per 100,000 among non-Hispanic Asian men. Non-Hispanic blacks compared with other groups more often had primary-progressive (10.0% vs. 0.0-4.0%) or progressive-relapsing MS (6.0% vs. 0.0-2.0%).
CONCLUSIONS: In this Northern Californian Cohort, between 2010 and 2016 the direct-standardised MS prevalence was estimated at 288.0 per 100,000 population, and increased over time. Non-Hispanic blacks, especially women, were disproportionately affected and had less common, earlier progressive MS phenotypes.