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Hopefully some of the research presented at the conference will get published in the near future.

Environment may cause increase in Multiple Sclerosis among women only - 18 November 2008

Gender has become a dominant factor in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) during the last decades. Already with a ratio of 3.2 to 1 MS is gradually changing into a disease predominantly among women. Since genetic factors can be ruled out as a cause of this gender related increase, scientific attention is on environmental factors that may increase MS risk in women exclusively. Most likely environmental factors include smoking, viral infections, Vitamin D deficiency, hygiene changes and dietary factors.

Almost 400 MS scientists and clinicians from around the world gathered this week during a medical scientific conference on 'Multiple Sclerosis and Gender', organized by the independent European Charcot Foundation, to share and discuss their scientific views on the backgrounds of this major shift in gender ratio.

"In due course the raised attention on gender related topics will undoubtedly lead to better results and questions regarding individualised MS treatment, both in women and men", professor O.R. Hommes, chairman of the European Charcot Foundation stated. "This conference has raised the simple question whether females with MS should be treated differently than males".

One of the main focal points in the gender related approach is the effect of pregnancy on disease progression in MS. The disease practically disappears during the last trimester of pregnancy. Why is that and can we use our vast knowledge of natural female sex hormones, such as estriol, progesterone and prolactin, to develop new ways of treating women with MS? Several phase III clinical trials are already underway that will provide answers to this question by the end of 2009.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory and degenerative disease of the central nervous system leading in time to severe disability. This chronic disease is affecting 70 to 200 per 100.000 persons in Europe.

Source: Medical News Today © 2008 MediLexicon International Ltd

Gender has become a dominant factor in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) during the last decades. Already with a ratio of 3.2 to 1 MS is gradually changing into a disease predominantly among women.

Huh? what was it recorded at over the decades?

Ok, I searched for myself and found this article.

ScienceDaily (Apr. 29, 2007) — Over time, more women are developing multiple sclerosis (MS) than men, according to research that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 59th Annual Meeting. In 1940, the ratio of women to men with MS in the United States was approximately two to one. By 2000, that ratio had grown to approximately four to one.

and also interesting was this statement.

Cutter said the largest increase in the ratio has been for those whose MS started at younger ages.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 072325.htm


And also this article.

The Canadian research shows:

In 1931, for every one man diagnosed with MS, 1.8 women received the diagnosis.
Around 1940, the picture starts to change. The rate of MS cases in men stays relatively the same, but in women, it rises.
And by 1980, for every one man diagnosed, more than three women develop MS.

LINK

The study mentions the last trimester of pregnancy as when MS "virtually disappears"...
then only mentions female hormones. What else happens during the last trimester?

Another change is that the blood volume grows throughout pregnancy and reaches its peak at week 32, by almost doubling- There is also a decrease of fibrinolytic activity. The blood changes-

"The red cell mass is increased 20-30%. Leukocyte counts are variable during gestation, but usually remain within the upper limits of normal. Combined with a decrease in fibrinolytic activity, these changes tend to prevent excessive bleeding at delivery.

"There is a steady reduction in systemic vascular resistance (SVR) which contributes towards the hyperdynamic circulation observed in the last trimester of pregnancy."
http://www.nda.ox.ac.uk/wfsa/html/u09/u09_003.htm

I'm interested in hyperdynamic circulation, fibrin and the blood (which flows thru all people with MS)
AC

Cheerleader, I think you've got it bang on. I believe women tend to get MS more often because of vascular issues. For instance in order to develop a placenta the body needs to produce lots of vascular endothelial growth factor which is upregulated during MS relapse and contributes to vascular permeability. I believe that in the past women weren't diagnosed with MS even though they had it and that better diagnostic techniques have enabled this "increase". I would suspect that younger people are getting more fertile owing to better nutrition and that they are therefore developing at ever earlier ages problems with the vasculature. That is not to say that hormones aren't also the problem but our disease could probably be treated quite easily if physicians focused on the cerebral microvasculature. But then they might discover that cheap herbs were the solution and that would be a disaster!

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/jour ... 6/abstract

Non-invasive assessment of endothelial function in normal pregnancy

Resting vessel diameter and blood flow were significantly increased in pregnancy, mainly after 30 weeks' gestation.
Conclusion
Normal pregnancy is associated with enhanced endothelial function which is apparent from at least 10 weeks' gestation.

Aside from hormones, there are other factors in pregnancy which may stabilize MS for women-
AC