Differences in Cardiometabolic Comorbidities Between Black and White Persons Living With Multiple Sclerosis.
Catherine Chase, Erika Connell, Sabrina N Elliott and 6 others
PMID 34728190WHAT IT FOUND
Black patients with MS were more likely than White patients to have high blood pressure and diabetes, and Black women had higher body mass index.
These comorbidities were linked to MS disability in prior work, but this study could not track disease progression or timing.
Key findings
01Black patients with MS were 2.15 times more likely to have a lifetime diagnosis of diabetes and 2.44 times more likely to have hypertension compared with White patients.
02Black women had the highest body mass index of all race and sex groups in the sample.
03The study found associations between race and cardiometabolic conditions but could not determine whether these conditions preceded or followed the MS diagnosis.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study used a single-site database from a southeastern US academic medical center, so the results may not generalize to other regions or populations. Data were limited to diagnostic codes, so the study could not determine the timing of diagnoses or whether cardiometabolic conditions preceded or followed the MS diagnosis. The study lacked data on MS disease course, disability status, or physical function, so it could not link these comorbidities directly to MS progression. Only Black and White patients were included, and Hispanic or Latino individuals were excluded due to small numbers. The study relied on existing medical records, which may have incomplete or inaccurate coding for some conditions.
Declared interests
The study was supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health. The authors declared no other conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that treating these cardiometabolic conditions will slow MS progression or improve function. This study only showed an association between race and the presence of these comorbidities; it did not measure MS outcomes or test any interventions.