BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that psychological stress may play a role in the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), but the evidence is very limited. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between MS and a well-defined major stressful life event: the death of a child. METHODS: In this follow-up study based on nationwide and population-based registers, all 21,062 parents who lost a child younger than 18 years from 1980 to 1996 in Denmark were included in the exposed cohort and 293,745 matched parents who did not lose a child in the unexposed cohort. The two cohorts were followed for incident MS from 1980 to 1997. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% CI were calculated as the measure of association between the exposure and MS, using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS: Two hundred fifty-eight MS patients were identified (28 in the exposed cohort and 230 in the unexposed cohort). The exposed parents had an increased risk of MS (HR 1.56, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.31), which is significant only when follow-up was at least 8 years. The HR for definite/probable MS was 1.42 (95% CI 0.90 to 2.24). Parents who lost a child unexpectedly had an HR of 2.13 (95% CI 1.13 to 4.03) for all MS, which is higher than that for other bereaved parents (HR 1.33; 95% CI 0.81 to 2.16). CONCLUSION: Psychological stress may play a role in the development of MS.
BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that psychological stress may play a role in the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), but the evidence is very limited. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between MS and a well-defined major stressful life event: the death of a child. METHODS: In this follow-up study based on nationwide and population-based registers, all 21,062 parents who lost a child younger than 18 years from 1980 to 1996 in Denmark were included in the exposed cohort and 293,745 matched parents who did not lose a child in the unexposed cohort. The two cohorts were followed for incident MS from 1980 to 1997. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% CI were calculated as the measure of association between the exposure and MS, using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS: Two hundred fifty-eight MS patients were identified (28 in the exposed cohort and 230 in the unexposed cohort). The exposed parents had an increased risk of MS (HR 1.56, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.31), which is significant only when follow-up was at least 8 years. The HR for definite/probable MS was 1.42 (95% CI 0.90 to 2.24). Parents who lost a child unexpectedly had an HR of 2.13 (95% CI 1.13 to 4.03) for all MS, which is higher than that for other bereaved parents (HR 1.33; 95% CI 0.81 to 2.16). CONCLUSION: Psychological stress may play a role in the development of MS.
Authors: Daylee Greene; JoAnn T Tschanz; Ken R Smith; Truls Ostbye; Chris Corcoran; Kathleen A Welsh-Bohmer; Maria C Norton Journal: Am J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2013-08-14 Impact factor: 4.105
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Authors: C Jane Welsh; Andrew J Steelman; Wentao Mi; Colin R Young; Ralph Storts; Thomas H Welsh; Mary W Meagher Journal: Ann N Y Acad Sci Date: 2009-02 Impact factor: 5.691
Authors: Andrew J Steelman; Eric Alford; Colin R Young; Thomas H Welsh; Mary W Meagher; C Jane R Welsh Journal: Neuroimmunomodulation Date: 2009-11-17 Impact factor: 2.492