Short and Long Term Variation in Ultraviolet Radiation and Multiple Sclerosis

Cristina Menni, Walter E. Lowell, Joan Bentzen, Roberto Bergamaschi, Filippo Martinelli Boneschi, Vittorio Martinelli, Luisa Bernardinelli, Egon Stenager, George E. Davis and Luisa Foco
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Cristina Menni: Department of Applied Health Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Walter E. Lowell: Psybernetics Research Group, 04330 Augusta, Maine, USA
Joan Bentzen: The Danish Multiple Sclerosis Registry, National Institute of Public Health, 1353 Copenhagen, Denmark
Roberto Bergamaschi: Neurological Institute Casimiro Mondino, Interdepartment Research Center for Multiple Sclerosis, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Filippo Martinelli Boneschi: Department of Neuro-Rehabilitation, Scientific Institute San Raffaele, 20100 Milan, Italy
Vittorio Martinelli: Department of Neuro-Rehabilitation, Scientific Institute San Raffaele, 20100 Milan, Italy
Luisa Bernardinelli: Department of Applied Health Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Egon Stenager: The Danish Multiple Sclerosis Registry, National Institute of Public Health, 1353 Copenhagen, Denmark
George E. Davis: Psybernetics Research Group, 04330 Augusta, Maine, USA
Luisa Foco: Department of Applied Health Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy

IJERPH, 2012, vol. 9, issue 3, 1-13

Abstract: We examined the role of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in persons diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in four different populations, Italians, Danish, White and African Americans. We tested whether variation in UVR as determined by seasons (short term variation) and solar cycles (long term variation) is related to MS birth month and to survival as measured by lifespan. Cases were selected from three Italian MS Case Registries (2,737); from the United States National Center for Health Statistics (56,020); and from the Danish Multiple Sclerosis registry (15,900). Chi-square tests were used to study the pattern of month of birth distribution in patients with MS comparing with general population data. T-tests were employed to study solar cycles association with lifespan. A surplus of births was observed in June for White Americans. A decrease of births in October and November, though not significant after multiple testing correction, was observed in the three populations. In White American with MS overall, males and females, we found that solar cycle is associated with lifespan. We found that season and solar cycles have some role in MS susceptibility and life duration. However, this is an exploratory analysis and further work is needed to discern the association.

Keywords: multiple sclerosis; seasonality; solar cycles; variation in ultraviolet radiation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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