Seasonal Variations in Multiple Sclerosis Relapses in Oman: A Single Tertiary Centre Experience

(1) Background and Aims: The seasonal factors influencing multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses remain elusive. This study aims to investigate the seasonal variation of MS relapses in Oman and compare it globally. (2) Subject and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on N = 183 Omani MS patient...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of environmental research and public health 2024-10, Vol.21 (10), p.1371
Main Authors: Al-Shibli, Rashid, Al-Asmi, Abdullah, Islam, M Mazharul, Al Sabahi, Fatema, Al-Aamri, Amira, Butt, Mehwish, Al-Lawati, Meetham, Al-Hashmi, Lubna, Al-Yahmadi, Jihad
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Age
Data analysis
Disease
Electronic health records
Female
Generalized linear models
Hospitals
Humans
Humidity
Male
Medical records
Middle Aged
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis - epidemiology
Oman - epidemiology
Patients
R&D
Rain
Recurrence
Research & development
Retrospective Studies
Seasonal variations
Seasons
Temperature
Tertiary Care Centers - statistics & numerical data
Variables
Variance analysis
Young Adult
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Summary:(1) Background and Aims: The seasonal factors influencing multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses remain elusive. This study aims to investigate the seasonal variation of MS relapses in Oman and compare it globally. (2) Subject and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on N = 183 Omani MS patients treated at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, a tertiary hospital in Muscat, Oman, over sixteen-year period (2007-2022). Demographic and clinical data of all MS patients were juxtaposed with the monthly weather data during this period, using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. (3) Results: Among the N = 183 MS patients studied, 508 relapses were recorded during the study period. The average number of relapses per patient was 2.8 (range: 1-15). There were significant seasonal variations in MS relapse rate, with the highest prevalence in the winter months of January and February. However, no correlation was found between MS relapses and other climatic parameters (humidity, temperature, and rainfall). (4) Conclusion: The seasonal patterns of MS relapses in Oman differ from other parts of the world, which the local clinicians should take into account while diagnosing and making management decisions. The potential impact of climate change on the anomalous changes in the seasonality of MS relapses warrants further investigation.
ISSN:1660-4601
1661-7827
1660-4601
DOI:10.3390/ijerph21101371