Multiple sclerosis and chronic inflammatory diseases. A case-control study.
BACKGROUND
Disease associations may provide useful etiological leads in relation to diseases of unknown cause.


METHODS
We conducted a hospital-based case-control study of 155 MS patients and 200 controls in Hordaland County, Norway to investigate the possible association between MS and autoimmune diseases.


RESULTS
The MS patients had a statistically significant more frequent coexistence of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and goitre when compared to the controls (OR = 2.96; 95% CI 1.23-7.66). This difference persisted when analysing the definite MS cases separately (OR = 2.90; 95% CI 1.10-7.96). The familial occurrence of chronic inflammatory diseases was not significantly different in cases and controls. A significant increased risk to develop MS occurred in first degree relatives of MS patients (OR = 12.58; 95% CI 1.73-552).


CONCLUSIONS
Acknowledging the low figures, the uncertain estimates with large confidence intervals, and thus the obvious role of chance in this study, the results might indicate that a generalized, genetically controlled problem of the immune system could result in aggregates of the reported diseases, all of which are partly characterized by aberrations of the immune system.
Midgard
R
R
Department of Neurology, Molde County Hospital, Norway.
Grønning
M
M
Riise
T
T
Kvåle
G
G
Nyland
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006042:Goiter / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires