[A case-control study of the influence of the smoking behaviour in multiple sclerosis]. / Estudio de casos y controles sobre la influencia del hábito tabáquico en la esclerosis múltiple.

INTRODUCTION: Several epidemiological studies have demonstrated that there is a genetic factor of susceptibility in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and that the environmental factors play an important important role in their development. Smoking is among the environment factors studied. In fact, several studies have established a relationship between smoking and multiple sclerosis, although most of them did not find significant results or found that these were contradictory. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of the smoking habit on the risk of suffering MS. METHODS: This was a case-control matched study with 138 patients diagnosed of MS according to the McDonald criteria who were paired with the same number of controls of the same gender, residents in the same city and having the same age +/-2 years. Demographic data, smoking status (never, always smokers, ex-smokers), Kurtzke disability status scale (EDSS) and type of MS were collected. RESULTS: Out of a total of 138 MS patients (93 women, 43 men), 110 had relapsing-remitting MS, 20 secondary progressive MS and 7 primary progressive MS. Most of the patients were smokers and ex-smokers (63%). In the control group, only the 41,3% were smokers/ex-smokers. Moreover, the age of onset for smoking was earlier in the case group. CONCLUSION: Being a smoker/ex-smoker implies a 27% greater risk of developing MS compared to those who have never smoked. This risk is statistically significant for women but not for men due to the low number of them in the sample.

Estudio de casos y controlessobre la influencia del hábito tabáquicoen la esclerosis múltiple / A case-control study of the influence of the smoling behaviour in multiple sclerosis

Introducción. Diversos estudios epidemiológicos demuestranque en la esclerosis múltiple (EM) existe un factor genético de susceptibilidad,así como que los factores ambientales juegan un papelprominente en el desarrollo de la misma. Entre los factores ambientalesestudiados se encuentra el tabaco. De hecho, varios estudiosestablecen relación entre fumar y EM, pero la mayoría de ellos nohallaron resultados significativos o éstos fueron contradictorios.Objetivo. Evaluar la influencia del hábito tabáquico en el riesgode padecer EM.Material y métodos: Estudio caso-control pareado con 138 pacientesdiagnosticados de EM según los criterios de McDonald y el mismonúmero de controles del mismo sexo, residentes en el mismo municipioy la misma edad ±2 años. Se recogieron los datos demográficos, statusde fumar, escala de discapacidad de Kurtzke (EDSS) y tipo de EM.Resultados. De los 138 pacientes (93 mujeres, 43 hombres), 110presentaban EM remitente recurrente, 20 EM secundariamente progresivay 7 EM primariamente progresiva. La mayoría de los pacientesresultaron ser fumadores y exfumadores (63%) frente al (41,3%)de los controles. Asimismo, la edad de inicio en el hábito de fumar fuemás precoz en los casos que en los controles.Conclusión. Ser fumador/exfumador implica un 27% más deriesgo de desarrollar EM frente a los nunca fumadores. Este riesgo esestadísticamente significativo en mujeres y no en varones, probablementedebido al bajo número de los mismos en el total de la muestra (AU)

Introduction. Several epidemiological studies have demonstratedthat there is a genetic factor of susceptibility in MultipleSclerosis (MS) and that the environmental factors play an importantrole in their development. Smoking is among the environmentfactors studied. In fact, several studies have established arelationship between smoking and multiple sclerosis, althoughmost of them did not find significant results or found that thesewere contradictory.Objective. To evaluate the influence of the smoking habit onthe risk of suffering MS.Methods. This was a case-control matched study with 138patients diagnosed of MS according to the McDonald criteria whowere paired with the same number of controls of the same gender,residents in the same city and having the same age ±2 years.Demographic data, smoking status (never, always smokers, exsmokers),Kurtzke disability status scale (EDSS) and type of MSwere collected.Results. Out of a total of 138 MS patients (93 women, 43 men),110 had relapsing-remitting MS, 20 secondary progressive MS and7 primary progressive MS. Most of the patients were smokersand ex-smokers (63%). In the control group, only the 41,3% weresmokers/ex-smokers. Moreover, the age of onset for smoking wasearlier in the case group.Conclusion. Being a smoker/ex-smoker implies a 27% greaterrisk of developing MS compared to those who have neversmoked. This risk is statistically significant for women but not formen due to the low number of them in the sample (AU)