Neurology
Volume 35, Issue 5, 1985, Pages 672-678

Epidemiology of multiple sclerosis in us veterans: III. Migration and the risk of MS (Article)

Kurtzke J.F.* , Beebe G.W. , Norman J.E., Jr.
  • a Neurology Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States, Departments of Neurology and Community Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
  • b Neurology Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States, Clinical Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
  • c Neurology Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States, Medical Follow-up Agency, National Research Council, Washington, DC, United States

Abstract

World War II or Korean Conflict veterans with MS (5,305 in number) and pre-illness-matched controls were compared for residence at birth and entry on active duty (EAD) within three north-south tiers of states in the United States. A strong north-south gradient of MS risk was present. Migrants were defined as those whose birth and EAD tier differed. For white men of World War II, all white men, and all whites, there were highly significant reductions in risk for moves southward from either the north or middle tier, and increases in risk for moves northward from the middle tier. Increases similar in magnitude of middle to north did not attain statistical significance in the few southern-born migrants. For the small groups of black men and white men of Korean service, trends were similar but did not attain significance, whereas for white women, they were of borderline significance. Findings imply an environmental cause for MS, with acquisition years before symptom-onset. © 1985 American Academy of Neurology.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

residential mobility central nervous system multiple sclerosis war veteran risk human epidemiology Veterans priority journal geographic distribution Cross-Sectional Studies United States peripheral nervous system geography male female environmental exposure clinical article adult migration Sex Factors Blacks
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0021886099&partnerID=40&md5=79e0a43c1ad704e18603b63cd048d77e
ISSN: 00283878
Cited by: 114
Original Language: English