Rates of mortality and several comorbidities are higher in an MS versus non-MS cohort, according to a study of 15, 864 patients with MS and 78,420 people without MS. Researchers found that in the MS cohort compared with the non-MS cohort:
• All-causes mortality was 2.9 times higher.
• Relative risks of mortality were: infectious disease (6.2), diseases of the nervous system (5.8), respiratory system (5.0), circulatory system (2.1), and suicide (2.6).
• Relative risks of comorbidities were: sepsis (5.7), ischemic stroke (3.8), attempted suicide (2.4), and ulcerative colitis (2.0).
• The rate of cancers was higher: lymphoproliferative disorders (2.2) and melanoma (1.7).
Citation: Capkur G, Dahlke F, Lahoz R, et al. Mortality and comorbidities in patients with multiple sclerosis compared with a population without multiple sclerosis: An observational study using the US department of defense administrative claims database. [Published online ahead of print August 18, 2015]. Mul Scler Rel Dis. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.msard.2015.08.005.
Comment: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is not a benign disease; people with MS die at a rate higher than those without MS. This study reinforces the importance of early effective treatment to reduce disease burden and treat symptomatic problems in people who have MS. It is also just as important to identify and treat other significant comorbidities in those we treat for MS.—Mark Gudesblatt, MD, Medical Director of the Comprehensive MS Care Center at South Shore Neurologic Associates in Islip, NY