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Past exposure to sun, skin phenotype, and risk of multiple sclerosis: case-control study
Citation
Van der Mei, IAF and Ponsonby, AL and Dwyer, T and Blizzard, CL and Simmons, R and Taylor, BVM and Butzkueven, H and Kilpatrick, T, Past exposure to sun, skin phenotype, and risk of multiple sclerosis: case-control study, British Medical Journal, 327, (7410) pp. 316-320. ISSN 0959-535X (2003) [Refereed Article]
DOI: doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7410.316
Abstract
Objective: To examine whether past high sun exposure is associated with a reduced risk of multiple sclerosis. Design: Population based case-control study. Setting: Tasmania, latitudes 41-3°S. Participants: 136 cases with multiple sclerosis and 272 controls randomly drawn from the community and matched on sex and year of birth. Main outcome measure: Multiple sclerosis defined by both clinical and magnetic resonance imaging criteria. Results: Higher sun exposure when aged 6-15 years (average 2-3 hours or more a day in summer during weekends and holidays) was associated with a decreased risk of multiple sclerosis (adjusted odds ratio 0.31, 95% confidence interval 0.16 to 0.59). Higher exposure in winter seemed more important than higher exposure in summer. Greater actinic damage was also independently associated with a decreased risk of multiple sclerosis (0.32, 0.11 to 0.88 for grades 4-6 disease). A dose-response relation was observed between multiple sclerosis and decreasing sun exposure when aged 6-15 years and with actinic damage. Conclusion: Higher sun exposure during childhood and early adolescence is associated with a reduced risk of multiple sclerosis. Insufficient ultraviolet radiation may therefore influence the development of multiple sclerosis.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Research Division: | Health Sciences |
Research Group: | Epidemiology |
Research Field: | Epidemiology not elsewhere classified |
Objective Division: | Health |
Objective Group: | Public health (excl. specific population health) |
Objective Field: | Disease distribution and transmission (incl. surveillance and response) |
UTAS Author: | Van der Mei, IAF (Professor Ingrid van der Mei) |
UTAS Author: | Ponsonby, AL (Professor Anne Ponsonby) |
UTAS Author: | Dwyer, T (Professor Terry Dwyer) |
UTAS Author: | Blizzard, CL (Professor Leigh Blizzard) |
UTAS Author: | Taylor, BVM (Professor Bruce Taylor) |
ID Code: | 34681 |
Year Published: | 2003 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 386 |
Deposited By: | Menzies Centre |
Deposited On: | 2005-08-01 |
Last Modified: | 2010-05-05 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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