title: Characteristics of multiple sclerosis in aboriginals living in British Columbia, Canada.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objectives of this study were to identify and describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS) in aboriginals in British Columbia (BC), Canada and compare these findings with non-aboriginal MS patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective chart and database review accessed patient information from the linked BC-wide MS clinical and genetics databases. Data gathered included: demographics (age, sex and ethnicity); clinical characteristics (MS onset date, disease course and disability scores (Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS]). Aboriginals were identified via the database linkage augmented by physician and nurse recall. Two non-aboriginal comparator groups with definite MS were selected. Group one included all definite MS patients in the BC MS database, and group two comprised MS patients matched by sex, age at onset and initial disease course. Patient characteristics were compared using the Student's t-test, chi-squared test, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to examine disease progression (time to sustained and confirmed EDSS 6)
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 26 aboriginals with MS, of which 19/26 (73%) were female, 23/26 (89%) had relapsing-onset MS and a mean onset age of 31.1 years. There were no significant differences between the MS aboriginals and the non-matched (n = 5708) comparator group with respect to age, sex or disease course (p > 0.1), However, aboriginals progressed more rapidly to EDSS 6 from disease onset (p < 0.001) when compared with the matched and unmatched comparator groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We identified a small, but important cohort of aboriginals with MS; being the largest identified to date. There was evidence of more rapid MS progression in aboriginals compared with non-aboriginals.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Division of Neurology, Multiple Sclerosis Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Jameelah
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saeedi
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rieckmann
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yee
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tremlett
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D044467:American Indian or Alaska Native / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000401:mortality; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors