Multiple sclerosis in South America: month of birth in different latitudes does not seem to interfere with the prevalence or progression of the disease

• Author(s): Fragoso,Yara Dadalti ; Adoni,Tarso ; Almeida,Sandra Maria Garcia de ; Alves-Leon,Soniza Vieira ; Arruda,Walter Oleschko ; Barbagelata-Aguero,Fiorella ; Brooks,Joseph Bruno Bidin ; Carra,Adriana ; Claudino,Rinaldo ; Comini-Frota,Elizabeth Regina ; Correa,Eber Castro ; Damasceno,Alfredo ; Damasceno,Benito Pereira ; Diaz,Ethel Ciampi ; Elliff,David George ; Fiore,Ana Patricia Peres ; Franco,Clelia Maria Ribeiro ; Giacomo,Maria Cristina Brandao ; Gomes,Sidney ; Goncalves,Marcus Vinicius Magno ; Grzesiuk,Anderson Kuntz ; Inojosa,Jose Luiz ; Kaimen-Maciel,Damacio Ramon ; Lin,Katia ; Lopes,Josiane ; Lourenco,Gisele Alexandre ; Martinez,Alejandra Diana ; Melcon,Mario Oscar ; Morales,Nivea de Macedo Oliveira ; Morales,Rogerio Rizo ; Moreira,Marcos ; Moreira,Shirlene Vianna ; Oliveira,Celso Luis da Silva ; Oliveira,Francisco Tomaz Menezes de ; Ribeiro,Joao Batista ; Ribeiro,Sonia Beatriz Felix ; Rodriguez,Claudia Carcamo ; Russo,Liliana ; Safanelli,Juliana ; Shearer,Kirsty Deborah ; Siquineli,Fabio ; Vizcarra-Escobar,Darwin
• Date: 2013
• Origin: Oasisbr
• Subject(s): South America; multiple sclerosis; sun exposure
• Document Type: Journal article
• Language: English

Description

Objective To assess whether the month of birth in different latitudes of South America might influence the presence or severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life. Methods Neurologists in four South American countries working at MS units collected data on their patients' month of birth, gender, age, and disease progression. Results Analysis of data from 1207 MS patients and 1207 control subjects did not show any significant variation in the month of birth regarding the prevalence of MS in four latitude bands (0–10; 11–20; 21–30; and 31–40 degrees). There was no relationship between the month of birth and the severity of disease in each latitude band. Conclusion The results from this study show that MS patients born to mothers who were pregnant at different Southern latitudes do not follow the seasonal pattern observed at high Northern latitudes.