Multiple Sclerosis, 1 June 2003, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 293-298(6)
Weinstock-Guttman B.[1]; Jacobs L.D.[1]; Brownscheidle C.M.[1]; Baier
M.[2]; Rea D.F.[1]; Apatoff B.R.[3]; Blitz K.M.[4]; Coyle P.K.[5]; Frontera
A.T.[6]; Goodman A.D.[7]; Gottesman M.H.[8]; Herbert J.[9]; Holub R.[10];
Lava N.S.[11]; Lenihan M.[12]; Lusins J.[13]; Mihai C.[14]; Miller A.E.[15];
Perel A.B.[16]; Snyder D.H.[17]; Bakshi R.[1]; Granger C.V.[18]; Greenberg
S.J.[1]; Jubelt B.[14]; Krupp L.[5]; Munschauer F.E.[1]; Rubin D.[8]; Schwid
S.[7]; Smiroldo J.[5]; The New York State Multiple Sclerosis Consortium
[1] William C. Baird Multiple Sclerosis Research Center, The Jacobs
Neurological Institute, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA [10] Neurological Associates
of Albany, Albany, NY 12208, USA [11] Department of Neurology, Albany Medical
College, Albany, NY 12208, USA [12] Glens Falls Neurology, Glens Falls,
NY 12801, USA [13] Catskill Neuroscience and Radiology Associates, Oneonta,
NY 13820, USA [14] Department of Neurology, SUNY Upstate Medical University,
Syracuse, NY 13210, USA [15] Division of Neurology, Maimonides Medical
Center, Brooklyn, NY 11219, USA [16] Staten Island University Hospital,
Staten Island, NY 10306, USA [17] New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens,
Flushing, NY 11355, USA [18] Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation,
State University of New York at Buffalo [2] Center for Research Methodology
and Biometrics, AMC Cancer Research Center, Lakewood, CO 80214, USA [3]
Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Cornell Medical Center, New York,
NY 10021, USA [4] Multiple Sclerosis Care Center, North Shore University
Hospital at East Meadow, East Meadow, NY 11554, USA [5] Department of Neurology,
State University of New York at Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony
Brook, NY 11794, USA [6] Kingston Neurological Associates, Kingston, NY
12401, USA [7] Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical
Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA [8] Division of Neurology, Winthrop-University
Hospital, Mineola, NY 11501, USA [9] The Hospital for Joint Diseases/Orthopedic
Institute, MS Care Center, New York, NY 10003, USA
The objective of this study was to determine the clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS) in African American (AA) patients in the New York State Multiple Sclerosis Consortium (NYSMSC) patient registry.
The NYSMSC is a group of 18 MS centers throughout New York State organized to prospectively assess clinical characteristics of MS patients.
AAs comprise 6% (329) of the total NYSMSC registrants (5602).
Demographics, disease course, therapy, and socioeconomic status were compared in AA registrants versus nonAfrican Americans (NAA).
There was an increased female preponderance and a significantly younger age at diagnosis in the AA group.
AA patients were more likely to have greater disability with increased disease duration.
No differences were seen in types of MS and use of disease modifying therapies.
Our findings suggest a racial influence in MS.
Further genetic studies that consider race differences are warranted to elucidate mechanisms of disease susceptibility.