title: Month of birth, HLA-DRB1*15 locus and risk of multiple sclerosis in offspring.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A relationship among April births, HLA-DRB1*15:01 genotype and risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) has been described. We aim to determine this association in our cohort of Spanish MS patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We genotyped HLA-DRB1*15:01 allele in 326 MS patients and 226 controls (non-neurological disease patients) by SSP-PCR and compared month of birth with local births during the same period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MS patients carrying HLA-DRB1*15 allele were more frequently born in December (10.3% HLA-DRB1*15+ vs. 3.8% HLA-DRB1*15-; p = 0.019). Controls carrying HLA-DRB1*15 allele were less frequently born in December than non-carrier controls (0% HLA-DRB1*15+ vs. 10.3% HLA-DRB1*15-; p = 0.028). Thus, December was confirmed as the common month of birth for HLA-DRB1*15-non-carrier controls and MS HLA-DRB1*15-carrier patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Month of birth, HLA-DRB1 genotype and risk of MS are associated. In Spain, this association was found in December, supporting the potential interaction of a seasonal risk factor in winter, inside/close to HLA-DRB1*15 locus, during pregnancy or after birth.
authors: Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Espana.|Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Espana.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Guijarro-Castro
authors: Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Espana.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Sanchez-Zapardiel
authors: Hospital Universitario Xeral Cies, Vigo, Espana.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Munoz
authors: Hospital Regional Universitario Carlos Haya, Malaga, Espana.
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Fernandez
authors: Hospital Regional Universitario Carlos Haya, Malaga, Espana.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Leyva
authors: Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Espana.
authors: M J
authors: MJ
authors: Castro-Panete
authors: Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Espana.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Picon-Munoz
authors: Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Espana.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Talise
authors: Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Espana.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Martinez-Feito
authors: Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Espana.|Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Espana.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Paz-Artal
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics*; D012621:Seasons; D013030:Spain
chemical_list: D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains