Medically unexplained symptoms are common in women in tertiary neurological healthcare center: A survey cohort study of persons investigated for suspected multiple sclerosis.
autoimmune disorder
epidemiological
functional disorder
medically unexplained symptoms
multiple sclerosis
survey
Journal
Brain and behavior
ISSN: 2162-3279
Titre abrégé: Brain Behav
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101570837
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Mar 2024
Mar 2024
Historique:
revised:
06
02
2024
received:
06
11
2023
accepted:
10
02
2024
medline:
7
3
2024
pubmed:
7
3
2024
entrez:
7
3
2024
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
A significant proportion of individuals with suspicious onset of multiple sclerosis (MS) does not fulfill the diagnostic criteria. Although some receive other diagnoses, many remain undiagnosed and lack healthcare follow-up. This study aimed to characterize persons with undetermined diagnosis (PwUD) through a questionnaire. Incident cases with suspected MS were consecutively admitted to a tertiary neurological healthcare center in a prospective cohort study. Those who remained undiagnosed after 40 months (mean, range 31-52) were considered PwUD. They completed a modified questionnaire, previously used in a population-based case-control study of incident MS cases. Their responses were compared with two control cohorts, persons with MS (PwMS) and healthy controls, randomly selected from national registries, matched by age, gender, and area of residence. Out of 271 patients with suspected MS onset, 72 (20.3%) were PwUD with a female majority (79%). The response rate was 83% and 39% reported persisting MS-like symptoms. Compared to controls (n = 548) and PwMS (n = 277), fewer PwUD were currently smoking (p = .4 and p = .03), consumed less alcohol (p = .04 and p = .01), and had children (p = .02 and p = .002). PwUD reported occurrence of other autoimmune disease in 29%, higher compared to PwMS and controls (p < .001 and p < .001). UD is common among persons investigated for suspected MS, in particular among female parents. Our data suggest that PwUD can be characterized as nonsmokers with low alcohol consumption and a higher prevalence of autoimmune disease, in particular thyroid disease.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
A significant proportion of individuals with suspicious onset of multiple sclerosis (MS) does not fulfill the diagnostic criteria. Although some receive other diagnoses, many remain undiagnosed and lack healthcare follow-up. This study aimed to characterize persons with undetermined diagnosis (PwUD) through a questionnaire.
METHODS
METHODS
Incident cases with suspected MS were consecutively admitted to a tertiary neurological healthcare center in a prospective cohort study. Those who remained undiagnosed after 40 months (mean, range 31-52) were considered PwUD. They completed a modified questionnaire, previously used in a population-based case-control study of incident MS cases. Their responses were compared with two control cohorts, persons with MS (PwMS) and healthy controls, randomly selected from national registries, matched by age, gender, and area of residence.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Out of 271 patients with suspected MS onset, 72 (20.3%) were PwUD with a female majority (79%). The response rate was 83% and 39% reported persisting MS-like symptoms. Compared to controls (n = 548) and PwMS (n = 277), fewer PwUD were currently smoking (p = .4 and p = .03), consumed less alcohol (p = .04 and p = .01), and had children (p = .02 and p = .002). PwUD reported occurrence of other autoimmune disease in 29%, higher compared to PwMS and controls (p < .001 and p < .001).
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
UD is common among persons investigated for suspected MS, in particular among female parents. Our data suggest that PwUD can be characterized as nonsmokers with low alcohol consumption and a higher prevalence of autoimmune disease, in particular thyroid disease.
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
e3459Subventions
Organisme : Rune och Ulla Amlövs Stiftelse för Neurologisk och Reumatologisk Forskning
Organisme : Edit Jacobson Foundation
Organisme : Research Foundation of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Gothenburg/NEURO Gothenburg
Organisme : Göteborg Foundation for Neurological Research
Organisme : Swedish Federal Government
ID : ALFGBG-722081
Organisme : NEURO Sweden
Informations de copyright
© 2024 The Authors. Brain and Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
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