Summaries of Must-Read Clinical Literature, Guidelines, and FDA Actions

Season of Birth Risk Factor for Multiple Sclerosis

JAMA Neurol; ePub 2016 Jun 27; Cruz, et al

Publish date:: July 19, 2016

Season of birth is a risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent study, and cannot be attributed to the background pattern in the general population. Researchers conducted a study using case control data from MS-specialized centers, a population-based study, and death records. Participants included 21,138 patients with MS and control data; the study was conducted from January 16, 2014, to September 2, 2015. Researchers found:

• When adjusting for temporal and regional variations for live births, there was a significant season of birth effect in patients with MS.

• There was an increased risk of disease in the peak month (April) compared with the trough month (November), and 15.68% fewer people who developed MS being born in November.

Citation: Cruz PMR, Matthews L, Boggild M, et al. Time- and region-specific season of birth effects in multiple sclerosis in the United Kingdom. [Published online ahead of print June 27, 2016]. JAMA Neurol. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2016.1463.

This Week's Must Reads

COVID-19 vaccine found effective but doctors watching for reactions, adverse events,

Study links sleep meds and dementia risk in older adults,

Childhood Hodgkin survivors have neurocognitive impairment,

Obesity, hypoxia predict severity in children with COVID-19,

Long-term safety and efficacy of teriflunomide for relapsing MS,

Must Reads in Multiple Sclerosis

Long-term safety and efficacy of teriflunomide for relapsing MS,

Newer DMTs are more effective than injectable DMTs in pediatric MS,

Neutrophil granulocyte markers may distinguish between demyelinating diseases,

Bacteria may be associated with risk of MS relapse,

Women with MS may have increased subclinical disease activity during pregnancy,