Compared to the general population, patients with newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis (MS)\/clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) are more likely to have impaired cognitive function, a study in Neurology suggests. The study also found that being black and Hispanic, not having a university degree, and having a relatively low household income are predictors of cognitive performance.<\/p>\n
A total of 1174 adults with MS\/CIS (mean age, 40.7 years) who were enrolled in the MS Sunshine Study were included in this analysis. The researchers administered the oral Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) during a structured in-person assessment to identify cognitive impairment in incident cases of MS\/CIS (n=554) and matched controls (n=620). Additionally, verbal fluency was also determined. A multivariable linear regression was used to examine the association between SDMT scores and race\/ethnicity and MS. Multivariable analyses were adjusted for age at time of interview, sex, education, and household income.<\/p>\n
Across all racial\/ethnic groups, patients with MS\/CIS had significantly lower mean SDMT scores compared to controls (52.2 vs 58.3, respectively; P <.0001). The multivariable linear regression analyses, independent predictors of lower oral SDMT scores included being black (,5.97; P <0.0001) or Hispanic (,3.06; P <0.0001), having MS (,6.04; P <.0001), lower educational attainment (high school, trade school, or less: ,5.02; P <.0001), and having a household income $65,000 (,5.02; P =.0007). The researchers observed no interaction between MS case status and race\/ethnicity on SDMT scores.<\/p>\n
The authors note that these analyses may have been limited by the inclusion of only participants from California and the lack of ethnic diversity among the black and Hispanic participants.<\/p>\n
The investigators suggest that in addition to optimizing disease-modifying treatments to slow cognitive decline in patients with MS, interventions aimed at improving cognition may also be beneficial. From a societal perspective, improving opportunities for higher educational attainment and higher incomes for black and Hispanic participants in the United States would likely reduce racial\/ethnic disparities in cognitive performance.<\/p>\n
Disclosure: Several study authors declared affiliations with the pharmaceutical industry. Please see the original reference for a full list of authors disclosures.<\/p>\n
Reference<\/p>\n
Amezcua L, Smith JB, Gonzales EG, Haraszti S, Langer-Gould A. Race, ethnicity, and cognition in persons newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis [published online March 9, 2020]. Neurology. doi: 10.1212\/WNL.0000000000009210<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
View post: Compared to the general population, patients with newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis (MS)\/clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) are more likely to have impaired cognitive function, a study in Neurology suggests. Continue reading
\nPatients With Newly Diagnosed Multiple Sclerosis More Likely to Have Impaired Cognitive Performance - Neurology Advisor<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"