Skip Navigation



QJM Advance Access published online on October 25, 2005
QJM, doi:10.1093/qjmed/hci135
This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
98/12/895    most recent
hci135v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Hawkes, C.H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Hawkes, C.H.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Physicians. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Commentary

Are multiple sclerosis patients risk-takers?

C.H. Hawkes 1*

1 From the Essex Neuroscience Centre, Oldchurch Hospital, Romford, UK

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
C.H. Hawkes, E-mail: chrishawkes{at}msn.com


  Abstract

Several factors appear to be associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), and each has a postulated immune or environmental explanation, but a common theme is lacking. This article suggests that a unifying premise could be risk-associated behaviour. Evidence is reviewed for associations with smoking, alcohol, recreational drug use, oral contraception, cholesterol intake, risk attitude and behaviour, ultraviolet light and vitamin D exposure, frequency of MS in healthy societies, and viral infection. The evidence associated with smoking, not taking vitamin D supplements and Epstein-Barr viral infection appears good. There may be a pattern of risk-associated behaviour that characterizes patients with MS and brings them into contact with one or more causative agents. Of the possible agents, viral infection seems the most likely.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Mult SclerHome page
C.H. Hawkes
Smoking is a risk factor for multiple sclerosis: a metanalysis
Multiple Sclerosis, June 1, 2007; 13(5): 610 - 615.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.