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Epidemiology of multiple sclerosis in Arabs in Jordan: a comparative study between Jordanians and Palestinians
A S Najim Al-Din1, A Kurdi, A Mubaidin
1Faculty of Medicine, Amman, Jordan.
Abstract:
In a 2-year hospital-based study in Jordan 131 Arab multiple sclerosis patients were identified including 84 Palestinians and 36 Jordanians. Based on MS/ALS case ratio, multiple sclerosis was found to be twice as common among Palestinians than Jordanians. Other than the less marked female preponderance among Jordanian patients, the disease had the same clinical and paraclinical characteristics in both groups. It was more likely for Palestinian and Jordanian patients to originate from the northern parts of their countries, to be Rh negative and to be HLA-DR2 positive than their controls. Palestinians (patients and controls) did not show significant differences from Jordanians (patients and controls) in relation to their eye color, ABO and Rh blood groups distribution nor the HLA-DR or HLA-DQ (apart from HLA-DQ3) epitopes frequency, thus not offering any significant difference in the genetic-racial markers studies to explain the difference in the observed disease susceptibility. Previous studies demonstrated that 2 racially different populations sharing the same environment can have different risk of developing multiple sclerosis, but this study has shown that this can also be true for 2 racially similar populations sharing the same environment.
Insights
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is twice as common in Palestinians compared to Jordanians, despite similar genetic markers and environmental factors. This study highlights differing MS susceptibility between racially similar populations.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Epidemiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) risk varies significantly across populations, even within similar environments.
- Previous research indicated racial differences influence MS susceptibility.
- This study investigates MS prevalence in two ethnically similar Arab populations in Jordan.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the prevalence and characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS) between Palestinian and Jordanian patients.
- To identify potential epidemiological and genetic factors contributing to observed differences in MS susceptibility.
Main Methods:
- A 2-year hospital-based study identified 131 Arab patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Jordan.
- Prevalence was assessed using the MS/ALS case ratio.
- Clinical, paraclinical, and genetic markers (HLA, blood groups) were compared between Palestinian and Jordanian patients and controls.
Main Results:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) was found to be twice as common among Palestinians compared to Jordanians.
- Clinical and paraclinical features of MS were similar in both groups, except for a less pronounced female preponderance in Jordanians.
- Both groups showed higher rates of northern origin, Rh negativity, and HLA-DR2 positivity compared to controls, with no significant genetic-racial marker differences between Palestinians and Jordanians explaining the susceptibility disparity.
Conclusions:
- This study demonstrates that even racially similar populations sharing the same environment can exhibit different susceptibilities to developing multiple sclerosis (MS).
- The observed difference in MS prevalence between Palestinians and Jordanians is not explained by the investigated genetic-racial markers.
- Environmental factors or unmeasured genetic elements may play a role in the distinct MS risk.