Fluctuations of MS births and UV-light exposure

F. Verheul; J. Smolders; M. Trojano; V. Lepore; C. Zwanikken; M.P. Amato; F. Grand'maison; H. Butzkueven; M. Marrosu; P. Duquette; G. Comi; G. Izquierdo; P. Grammond; G. Lus; T. Petersen; R. Bergamaschi; G. Giuliani; C. Boz; G. Coniglio; V. Van Pesch; J. Lechner-Scott; P. Cavalla; F. Granella; C. Avolio; M Fiol; D. Poehlau; M.L. Saladino; P. Gallo; N. Deri; W. Oleschko Arruda; M. Paine; M. Ferro; M. Barnett; J.A. Cabrera-Gomez; M. Slee; F. Moore; C. Shaw; T. Petkovska-Boskova; M. Rutherford; O. Engelsen; J. Damoiseaux; R. Hupperts

doi:10.1111/ane.12007

Fluctuations of MS births and UV-light exposure

F. Verheul^*
, J. Smolders
, M. Trojano
, V. Lepore
, C. Zwanikken
, M.P. Amato
, F. Grand'maison
, H. Butzkueven
, M. Marrosu
, P. Duquette
, G. Comi
, G. Izquierdo
, P. Grammond
, G. Lus
, T. Petersen
, R. Bergamaschi
, G. Giuliani
, C. Boz
, G. Coniglio
, V. Van Pesch

J. Lechner-Scott, P. Cavalla, F. Granella, C. Avolio, M Fiol, D. Poehlau, M.L. Saladino, P. Gallo, N. Deri, W. Oleschko Arruda, M. Paine, M. Ferro, M. Barnett, J.A. Cabrera-Gomez, M. Slee, F. Moore, C. Shaw, T. Petkovska-Boskova, M. Rutherford, O. Engelsen, J. Damoiseaux, R. Hupperts

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are more frequently born in spring when compared to autumn. Fluctuation of UV-light has been hypothesized to drive this phenomenon. AIM: To assess the correlation between fluctuation of sunlight and birth season in persons with MS. METHODS: For this record-linkage study, we collected from the international MSBase and the Italian MS iMed-web databases the dates of birth of 11,415 patients with MS from 36 centres from 15 countries worldwide and compared these to dates of live-births from national registries. From all participating sites, we collected data on UV-light fluctuation and assessed its correlation with seasonal fluctuation in MS births. RESULTS: Compared with the reference cohort, an increased proportion of persons with MS were born in spring and a decreased proportion in autumn (odds ratio (OR) to be born in spring versus autumn = 1.158, chi(2) = 36.347, P < 0.001). There was no significantly increased fluctuation of MS births with increased quartile of ambient UV-light fluctuation (Ptrend = 0.086). CONCLUSION: Seasonal fluctuation of MS births as found in this worldwide cohort of patients with MS did not correlate with variation in seasonal fluctuation of UV-light. Most likely, it results from a complex interplay between fluctuation of sunlight, behavioural factors, other environmental factors and (epi)genetic factors.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	301-308
Number of pages	8
Journal	Acta Neurologica Scandinavica
Volume	127
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/ane.12007
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2013

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10.1111/ane.12007

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Verheul, F., Smolders, J., Trojano, M., Lepore, V., Zwanikken, C., Amato, M. P., Grand'maison, F., Butzkueven, H., Marrosu, M., Duquette, P., Comi, G., Izquierdo, G., Grammond, P., Lus, G., Petersen, T., Bergamaschi, R., Giuliani, G., Boz, C., Coniglio, G., ... Hupperts, R. (2013). Fluctuations of MS births and UV-light exposure. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 127(5), 301-308. https://doi.org/10.1111/ane.12007

@article{67666e7610f64406819a0951acfa91d0,

title = "Fluctuations of MS births and UV-light exposure",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are more frequently born in spring when compared to autumn. Fluctuation of UV-light has been hypothesized to drive this phenomenon. AIM: To assess the correlation between fluctuation of sunlight and birth season in persons with MS. METHODS: For this record-linkage study, we collected from the international MSBase and the Italian MS iMed-web databases the dates of birth of 11,415 patients with MS from 36 centres from 15 countries worldwide and compared these to dates of live-births from national registries. From all participating sites, we collected data on UV-light fluctuation and assessed its correlation with seasonal fluctuation in MS births. RESULTS: Compared with the reference cohort, an increased proportion of persons with MS were born in spring and a decreased proportion in autumn (odds ratio (OR) to be born in spring versus autumn = 1.158, chi(2) = 36.347, P < 0.001). There was no significantly increased fluctuation of MS births with increased quartile of ambient UV-light fluctuation (Ptrend = 0.086). CONCLUSION: Seasonal fluctuation of MS births as found in this worldwide cohort of patients with MS did not correlate with variation in seasonal fluctuation of UV-light. Most likely, it results from a complex interplay between fluctuation of sunlight, behavioural factors, other environmental factors and (epi)genetic factors.",

author = "F. Verheul and J. Smolders and M. Trojano and V. Lepore and C. Zwanikken and M.P. Amato and F. Grand'maison and H. Butzkueven and M. Marrosu and P. Duquette and G. Comi and G. Izquierdo and P. Grammond and G. Lus and T. Petersen and R. Bergamaschi and G. Giuliani and C. Boz and G. Coniglio and \{Van Pesch\}, V. and J. Lechner-Scott and P. Cavalla and F. Granella and C. Avolio and M Fiol and D. Poehlau and M.L. Saladino and P. Gallo and N. Deri and \{Oleschko Arruda\}, W. and M. Paine and M. Ferro and M. Barnett and J.A. Cabrera-Gomez and M. Slee and F. Moore and C. Shaw and T. Petkovska-Boskova and M. Rutherford and O. Engelsen and J. Damoiseaux and R. Hupperts",

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doi = "10.1111/ane.12007",

language = "English",

volume = "127",

pages = "301--308",

journal = "Acta Neurologica Scandinavica",

issn = "0001-6314",

publisher = "John Wiley \& Sons Inc.",

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Verheul, F, Smolders, J, Trojano, M, Lepore, V, Zwanikken, C, Amato, MP, Grand'maison, F, Butzkueven, H, Marrosu, M, Duquette, P, Comi, G, Izquierdo, G, Grammond, P, Lus, G, Petersen, T, Bergamaschi, R, Giuliani, G, Boz, C, Coniglio, G, Van Pesch, V, Lechner-Scott, J, Cavalla, P, Granella, F, Avolio, C, Fiol, M, Poehlau, D, Saladino, ML, Gallo, P, Deri, N, Oleschko Arruda, W, Paine, M, Ferro, M, Barnett, M, Cabrera-Gomez, JA, Slee, M, Moore, F, Shaw, C, Petkovska-Boskova, T, Rutherford, M, Engelsen, O, Damoiseaux, J & Hupperts, R 2013, 'Fluctuations of MS births and UV-light exposure', Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, vol. 127, no. 5, pp. 301-308. https://doi.org/10.1111/ane.12007

TY - JOUR

T1 - Fluctuations of MS births and UV-light exposure

AU - Verheul, F.

AU - Smolders, J.

AU - Trojano, M.

AU - Lepore, V.

AU - Zwanikken, C.

AU - Amato, M.P.

AU - Grand'maison, F.

AU - Butzkueven, H.

AU - Marrosu, M.

AU - Duquette, P.

AU - Comi, G.

AU - Izquierdo, G.

AU - Grammond, P.

AU - Lus, G.

AU - Petersen, T.

AU - Bergamaschi, R.

AU - Giuliani, G.

AU - Boz, C.

AU - Coniglio, G.

AU - Van Pesch, V.

AU - Lechner-Scott, J.

AU - Cavalla, P.

AU - Granella, F.

AU - Avolio, C.

AU - Fiol, M

AU - Poehlau, D.

AU - Saladino, M.L.

AU - Gallo, P.

AU - Deri, N.

AU - Oleschko Arruda, W.

AU - Paine, M.

AU - Ferro, M.

AU - Barnett, M.

AU - Cabrera-Gomez, J.A.

AU - Slee, M.

AU - Moore, F.

AU - Shaw, C.

AU - Petkovska-Boskova, T.

AU - Rutherford, M.

AU - Engelsen, O.

AU - Damoiseaux, J.

AU - Hupperts, R.

PY - 2013/1/1

Y1 - 2013/1/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are more frequently born in spring when compared to autumn. Fluctuation of UV-light has been hypothesized to drive this phenomenon. AIM: To assess the correlation between fluctuation of sunlight and birth season in persons with MS. METHODS: For this record-linkage study, we collected from the international MSBase and the Italian MS iMed-web databases the dates of birth of 11,415 patients with MS from 36 centres from 15 countries worldwide and compared these to dates of live-births from national registries. From all participating sites, we collected data on UV-light fluctuation and assessed its correlation with seasonal fluctuation in MS births. RESULTS: Compared with the reference cohort, an increased proportion of persons with MS were born in spring and a decreased proportion in autumn (odds ratio (OR) to be born in spring versus autumn = 1.158, chi(2) = 36.347, P < 0.001). There was no significantly increased fluctuation of MS births with increased quartile of ambient UV-light fluctuation (Ptrend = 0.086). CONCLUSION: Seasonal fluctuation of MS births as found in this worldwide cohort of patients with MS did not correlate with variation in seasonal fluctuation of UV-light. Most likely, it results from a complex interplay between fluctuation of sunlight, behavioural factors, other environmental factors and (epi)genetic factors.

AB - BACKGROUND: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are more frequently born in spring when compared to autumn. Fluctuation of UV-light has been hypothesized to drive this phenomenon. AIM: To assess the correlation between fluctuation of sunlight and birth season in persons with MS. METHODS: For this record-linkage study, we collected from the international MSBase and the Italian MS iMed-web databases the dates of birth of 11,415 patients with MS from 36 centres from 15 countries worldwide and compared these to dates of live-births from national registries. From all participating sites, we collected data on UV-light fluctuation and assessed its correlation with seasonal fluctuation in MS births. RESULTS: Compared with the reference cohort, an increased proportion of persons with MS were born in spring and a decreased proportion in autumn (odds ratio (OR) to be born in spring versus autumn = 1.158, chi(2) = 36.347, P < 0.001). There was no significantly increased fluctuation of MS births with increased quartile of ambient UV-light fluctuation (Ptrend = 0.086). CONCLUSION: Seasonal fluctuation of MS births as found in this worldwide cohort of patients with MS did not correlate with variation in seasonal fluctuation of UV-light. Most likely, it results from a complex interplay between fluctuation of sunlight, behavioural factors, other environmental factors and (epi)genetic factors.

U2 - 10.1111/ane.12007

DO - 10.1111/ane.12007

M3 - Article

C2 - 22970985

SN - 0001-6314

VL - 127

SP - 301

EP - 308

JO - Acta Neurologica Scandinavica

JF - Acta Neurologica Scandinavica

IS - 5

ER -

Fluctuations of MS births and UV-light exposure

Abstract

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