Ethnic and Socioeconomic Associations with Multiple Sclerosis Risk

OBJECTIVE Epidemiological research in multiple sclerosis (MS) has mainly been performed in socioeconomically and ethnically limited populations; influences on MS risk have not been studied in prospectively collected non-White populations. We set out to study the influence of previously described MS risk factors in an ethnically diverse population. METHODS A nested case-control study was created using primary care records of >1 million individuals, >50% of whom identify as Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME). MS cases were compared to an age- and sex-matched control cohort (1:4), and to a large unmatched cohort. Odds ratios (ORs) of disease were determined according to exposure of interest, and a multivariate model including all exposures was created. Potential pairwise interactions were considered where both indicated a significant effect. RESULTS A total of 1,344 confirmed MS cases were included. MS OR in blacks aged