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Association of smoking with risk of multiple sclerosis: a population-based study

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Abstract

Genetic and environmental factors have important roles in multiple sclerosis (MS) susceptibility. Several studies have shown an association between smoking and MS risk. Here, in a population-based Canadian cohort, we investigate the relationship between personal and maternal smoking exposure and the risk of MS. Using the longitudinal Canadian database, 3,157 MS cases and 756 spouse controls were administered questionnaires on active and passive smoking history. Mothers of cases and controls were also asked about their smoking exposure during pregnancy. The MS cases were more likely to have smoked than spouse controls (odds ratio 1.32, 95 % confidence interval 1.10–1.60, p = 0.003). This association was driven by an excess of ever-smokers in male MS cases. No association was seen with maternal active or passive smoking exposure during pregnancy. Ever-smoking is associated with increased MS risk in males. Further work is needed to understand the mechanism underlying this association.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada Scientific Research Foundation. The authors would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Canadian Collaborative Project on Genetic Susceptibility to Multiple Sclerosis (CCPGSMS) Study Group members, Maria Criscuoli, and Kevin Atkins for data collection and database management. [CCPGSMS Study Group Members: Vancouver, BC (V Devonshire, S Hashimoto, J Hooge, L Kastrukoff, J Oger); Calgary, AB (L Metz); Edmonton, AB (S Warren); Saskatoon, SK (W Hader, K Knox); London, ON (M Kremenchutzky); Ottawa, ON (M Freedman); Kingston, ON (D Brunet); Toronto, ON (P O’Connor, T Gray, M Hohol); Montreal, QC (P Duquette, Y Lapierre); Halifax, NS (T J Murray, V Bhan, C Maxner); and St John’s, NL (M Stefanelli)]. The authors would like to thank all patients and family members of patients who generously participated in this study. The sponsor of the study had no role in the design of the study, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, writing of the report, or the decision to submit the report for publication.

Conflicts of interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Research Council Functional Genomics Unit and Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

    Sreeram V. Ramagopalan & George C. Ebers

  2. Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

    Joshua D. Lee, Irene M. Yee, Colleen Guimond & A. Dessa Sadovnick

  3. Division of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

    Anthony L. Traboulsee & A. Dessa Sadovnick

  4. VCHA, UBC Hospital, University of British Columbia, S113-2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada

    A. Dessa Sadovnick

Authors
  1. Sreeram V. Ramagopalan
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  2. Joshua D. Lee
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  3. Irene M. Yee
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  4. Colleen Guimond
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  5. Anthony L. Traboulsee
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  6. George C. Ebers
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  7. A. Dessa Sadovnick
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Correspondence to A. Dessa Sadovnick.

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Ramagopalan, S.V., Lee, J.D., Yee, I.M. et al. Association of smoking with risk of multiple sclerosis: a population-based study. J Neurol 260, 1778–1781 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-013-6873-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-013-6873-7

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