Evaluating the Existence of Other Autoimmune Diseases Among Multiple Sclerosis Patients and Their First Degree Relatives

OBJECTIVE: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that could be seen simultaneously with other diseases with autoimmune origin. OBJECTIVE: In this descriptive study, it was aimed to evaluate the relationship between MS and other autoimmune diseases among MS patients and their first degree relatives in two different centers, Ankara and Samsun. METHODS: 784 MS were included in the study. The data was gathered via interviews and patient record reviews. MS patients and their first degree relatives were asked for 13 specific autoimmune diseases which have been supposed to occur more frequently in MS patients. Data was evaluated seperately as patient record reviews and questionare interview. Ankara and Samsun center results were compared with each other. RESULTS: Among the interviewed subjects, 9 (5.3%) had co-occurrent autoimmune disease while the relatives of 26 (15.3%) was found to have autoimmune disease in Ankara. These figures were respectively 8 (17.4%) and 21 (45.7%) in Samsun. Both comorbid autoimmune disease among patients and autoimmune disease among relatives were observed to be higher in Samsun. Psoriasis was the mostly seen disease in Samsun and one of the mostly seen diseases in Ankara (1.2% in Ankara, 8.7% in Samsun). Multiple sclerosis (5.9%) and rheumatoid arthritis (32.6%) were the mostly seen diseases among relatives in Ankara and Samsun, respectively. According to the patient record reviews, the proportion of comorbid autoimmune disease in MS patients was 2.9% in Ankara and 5.2% in Samsun. In the whole group the proportion of the autoimmune diseases among female patients (17.4%) and their relatives was higher than male patients (5.3%) and their relatives. In Ankara, autoimmune thyroid disease (Graves and Hashimoto disease) was mostly seen whereas Behçet's disease was the most prominent in Samsun. CONCLUSION: In the study it was observed that among MS patients the percentage of having a comorbid disease was high. Besides, among the patients’ relatives, percentage of autoimmnue diseases, especially MS was observed to be high. Psoriasis was among the mostly seen diseases in both groups. MS and rheumatoid arthritis were observed to be the mostly seen autoimmune diseases among relatives