Following is a news release based on an article published in the March issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). The AAN is an association of more than 15,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. For a copy of the full article or for more information, contact Sarah Parsons at (612) 695-2732 or by e-mail [email protected].
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL MONDAY, MARCH 23, 1998
Study Defines Risk of Developing Multiple Sclerosis for Families of MS Patients ST. PAUL, MN (March 23, 1998) A new study helps determine the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) for siblings of MS patients. The study is published in the March issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Factors affecting the sibling risk include: the age of the patient when symptoms began; the sex of the sibling; and whether one of the parents had MS.
The study shows that the younger a patient is when symptoms begin, the more likely it is that a sibling will also develop the disease. Siblings of those who developed MS at age 20 or younger were almost five times more likely to develop MS than siblings of those who developed the disease over 40.
"Despite these increased risks, the actual lifetime risk figures are still low -- well under five percent -- for these siblings," said study author Dessa Sadovnick, PhD, professor of medical genetics at the University of British Columbia.
The study also found that sisters of MS patients are 2.5 times more likely to develop the disease than brothers. And siblings of an MS patient who also have one parent with MS are four times more likely to develop the disease than in families where neither parent has the disease. Again, Sadovnick said, the actual lifetime risk figures are low for both groups.
The study involved 1,896 MS patients in Vancouver, Canada, and 8,878 of their parents and siblings.
These finding are important for genetic counseling, Sadovnick said.
"This can help make the answers more specific when patients and family members are asking about the risks," she said. "It's important to have information on the family structure, because it can have an impact on the actual risk for an individual."
The sex of the MS patient has no effect on whether siblings are likely to develop the disease, according to the study.
Researchers believe that a combination of genetic and environmental factors contribute to the disease. The study suggests that those with a greater genetic susceptibility to the disease develop symptoms at a younger age.
Researchers are working on identifying the exact genetic material that causes a susceptibility to MS, Sadovnick said, but have a long way to go. "Hopefully down the road we'll be able to identify people who are at higher risk for developing MS and we can do early interventions to delay or prevent the disease," she said.
About 300,000 people in the United States have MS.
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