Neurology · 3 h ago
Autoimmune disease burden rises before MS and NMOSD diagnosis
A nationwide Korean cohort study found higher rates of autoimmune disease in the years before multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) diagnoses. The increase was greatest in the two years before diagnosis, although the timing differed between conditions.
- Autoimmune disease rates were higher before MS and NMOSD diagnosis.
- The increase was greatest in the two years before diagnosis.
- MS associations spanned all periods; NMOSD associations did not.
Using Korean National Health Insurance Service data from 2011 to 2021, researchers identified 3,079 people with incident MS and 1,407 with incident NMOSD. Each group was matched by age, sex and index year to 10 controls. The researchers assessed autoimmune diseases during the preceding 10 years, dividing the period into early (5–10 years), intermediate (2–5 years) and late (0–2 years) intervals. Adjusted rate ratios were estimated using Poisson regression.
Autoimmune diseases were more frequent before diagnosis than among controls for both MS (adjusted rate ratio [aRR] 1.58, 95% CI 1.46–1.71) and NMOSD (aRR 1.28, 95% CI 1.14–1.45). The greatest differences occurred in the late period. For MS, the increase was present across all three intervals; for NMOSD, it was observed only in the intermediate and late periods. Systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren’s syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis were among the systemic autoimmune diseases reported more often in both groups.
The findings describe an association in a large, nationwide observational cohort and may inform understanding of the period preceding diagnosis. They do not establish that autoimmune disease causes MS or NMOSD, or that autoimmune diagnoses can predict either condition in individual patients.
Is this summary clinically accurate?
Help fellow clinicians: your rating sends inaccurate summaries straight to our editors.
Sign in to rate this summary →Source
Multiple Sclerosis Journal: Increased autoimmune disease burden before multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder diagnosis: A nationwide Korean cohort study ↗This is an automated AI-condensed summary that has not yet been reviewed by an editor. Always consult the full item at the original source.