Maternal education has significant influence on progression in multiple sclerosis

Objective The identification of potential risk factors for disease severity is of great importance in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. The influence of socioeconomic status on progression in multiple sclerosis (MS) is sparsely investigated. Our aim was to investigate how socioeconomic status in adolescence influences disease progression in later life. Methods A total of 1598 patients with multiple sclerosis from a well-defined population in Norway were included. Detailed information on disease progression, measured by expanded disability status scale (EDSS) and multiple sclerosis severity score (MSSS), were combined with data on socioeconomic factors. We used residency and parental level of education at patients’ age 16 and exposure to second-hand smoking as a measure of socioeconomic status in adolescence, adjusting for the same variables as well as use of disease modifying treatments at prevalence date 01.01.18. Results High maternal level of education at patients’ age 16 was significantly associated with less pronounced disease progression measured by MSSS (β-coefficient -0.58, p = 0.015), younger age and lower EDSS at disease onset, and shorter time from onset to diagnosis. No significant associations were found for paternal education level and MSSS. The use of any disease modifying treatment before prevalence date was significantly associated with disease progression (β-coefficient -0.49, p=0.004), while residence, current and second-hand smoking were not. Conclusion This study on a population-based, real-world cohort shows that the parental level of education has a significant impact on a timely diagnosis of MS. In addition to disease modifying treatment, maternal level of education also had an impact on disease progression in later life.