Table 1 General and clinical characteristics for the epidemiological investigation of multiple sclerosis (EIMS) cohort, n = 1814

From: Associations of PFAS and OH-PCBs with risk of multiple sclerosis onset and disability worsening

Characteristic

HC

RRMS

PMS

N

907

801

106

Sex (F/M)

678 (74.8%)/229 (25.2%)

613 (76.5%)/188 (23.5%)

65 (61.3%)/41 (38.7%)

Age: Mean ± SD, F/M

41.0 ± 11.1/41.3 ± 11.2

39.1 ± 10.4/40.0 ± 10.1

51.9 ± 8.8 / 51.2 ± 10.1

BMI at sample collection: Mean ± SD, F/M

24.8 ± 4.6 / 25.9 ± 3.3

25.1 ± 5.2 / 25.2 ± 4.1

25.1 ± 4.5 / 25.0 ± 2.8

BMI at the age of 20: Mean ± SD, F/M

21.7 ± 3.4 / 23.1 ± 2.9

22.4 ± 4.0 / 23.3 ± 3.3

20.8 ± 4.0 / 22.9 ± 3.5

Disease duration

   

Months: Mean ± SD, F/M

-

8.9 ± 17.4 / 8.8 ± 15.3

13.6 ± 39.7 / 10.5 ± 14.2

EDSS*

   

No.F/M

-

375/119

39/18

Mean ± SD, F/M

-

1.5 ± 1.2 / 2.1 ± 1.6

3.8 ± 1.5 / 3.7 ± 1.6

Median ±SD, F/M

-

1.5 ± 1.2 / 2.0 ± 1.6

3.5 ± 1.5 / 3.5 ± 1.6

Transition from RRMS to SPMS

   

% F/M

-

66.3 %/33.7 %

-

Time to transition (years): Mean ± SD, F/M

-

4.2 ± 3.0/4.2 ± 2.7

-

Treatment

   

% undergoing treatment

-

10.1%

15.1%

Smoking

   

Regular: % Yes/No/NA

16.5/83.2/0.2%

23.7/69.5/6.7%

17.9/76.4/5.7%

Regular: Mean ± SD (years), F/M

24.8 ± 14.0/22.5 ± 15.1

22.0 ± 9.8/21.0 ± 11.4

33.5 ± 6.7/32.8 ± 5.0

Irregular: % Yes/No/NA

2.2/ 97.8/0%

3.7/96.3/0%

4.7/ 95.3/0%

Irregular: Mean ± SD (years), F/M

10.3 ± 9.1/11 ± 9.8

12.4 ± 11.0/11.4 ± 8.2

12.7 ± 12.4/10.5 ± 14.8

Passive smoking (indoors): % Yes/No/NA

3.1/96.6/0.3%

4.1/89.2/6.7%

6.6/87.7/5.7%

Passive smoking (indoors): Mean ± SD (years), F/M

18.8 ± 21.5/19.4 ± 11.7

30.8 ± 14.8/19.8 ± 15.4

NA** /27.3 ± 16.4

Swedish snuff

   

% Yes/No/NA

4.2/85.9/9.9%

8.0/80.1/11.9%

11.3/81.1/ 7.5%

Years: Mean ± SD, F/M

6.8 ± 4.4 / 19.8 ± 9.0

9.8 ± 8.2/14.2 ± 9.9

3.0 ± 2.8/21.6 ± 15.9

Alcohol consumption***

   

% Yes/No/NA

73.4/26.5/0.1%

64.7/28.7/ 6.6%

65.1/ 29.2/ 5.7%

Volume (cl): Mean ± SD, F/M

2.4 ± 13.9/6.4 ± 14.2

1.4 ± 5.1/3.9 ± 9.0

0.8 ± 3.4/4.9 ± 9.1

Infectious mononucleosis

   

% Yes/No/NA

21.8/77.8/0.3%

23.5/69.4/7.1%

22.6/71.7/5.7%

Childbirths

   

% Yes/Mean ± SD (number of childbirths)

71.7/2.1 ± 1.2

61.3%/2.1 ± 0.8

72.3%/2.0 ± 0.9

Sun exposure

   

% High/Medium/Low /NA

31.8/39.4/28.8/0%

20.6/32.7/35.0/11.7%

  1. The cohort consists of matched controls (HC), individuals with the diagnosis of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), and progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS) at the time of inclusion.
  2. F female, M male, BMI body mass index (kg/m2), EDSS expanded disability status scale, SD standard deviation.
  3. *Description of EDSS measurements for individuals with an EDSS within three months from blood sample collection.
  4. **Only two females with PMS described that they had been exposed to passive smoking, however, the duration was not specified.
  5. ***Alcohol consumption the week prior to sample collection has been recalculated into volume (cl) consumed 40% alcohol.
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