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ABSTRACT: The county of Värmland, Sweden, has shown a high frequency of multiple sclerosis in several investigations. It has been presented in three studies; a period prevalence study in 1925-1934, a mortality study during 1952-1992 and a prevalence investigation in 2002. The aim of this study was to investigate the pattern of industry in this high-risk area for multiple sclerosis. The three investigations were correlated with industry in 1913 and in the 1950s, all analyzed by the Kruskall-Wallis test. Select industries from wood-pulp, paper and iron/mechanical sectors were tested also in whole Sweden. The Spearman rank correlation was used for these data and forestry data in Värmland. In Värmland, industrial data from 1913 revealed that large sawmills were associated with the period prevalence in 1925-1934 and there was a possible correlation with the prevalence for 2002. Wood-pulp factories showed a possible association with the prevalence 1925-1934 and the mortality 1952-1992. Some industries in the 1950s were correlated with the prevalence 2002. Wood and paper industries in Sweden 1913 showed an association with the MS mortality 1952-1992. In summary, data on MS prevalence in Värmland and mortality both in Värmland and all Sweden from the past 100 years suggest an association with wood-related industries in 1913 and in the 1950s, whereas no consistent association was found for other industries.
Journal of the neurological sciences 12/2011; 311(1-2):50-7. · 2.32 Impact Factor
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Klaus Lauer
Multiple Sclerosis 06/2011; 17(11):1393-4; author reply 1396. · 4.26 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVES - We report the prevalence and incidence rates of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Oppland County, Norway. METHODS - Records from all patients diagnosed with MS at the two Oppland County hospitals, Gjøvik and Lillehammer during 1989-2001 were evaluated. In addition, all general practitioners in Oppland County reported their patients into the study. RESULTS - The age-adjusted prevalence rate of definite MS was 174.4/ 100 000 on the prevalence day 1 January 2002. When the probable cases were included, the prevalence rate rose to 185.6/100 000. The highest prevalence rates were detected in the northern mountain areas, thus corroborating the results from previous local surveys 30-50 years ago. The prevalence of MS was statistically significantly associated with climatic, socioeconomic and geographic variables in the county. The age-adjusted incidence of definite and probable MS in Oppland County was 6.6/100 000 during 1989-1993 increasing to 7.6/100 000 during 1994-1998. DISCUSSION - We found the highest prevalence rates of MS ever reported in Norway. Our findings indicate a possible influence of environmental factors.
Acta Neurologica Scandinavica 12/2010; 124(4):250-7. · 2.47 Impact Factor
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Klaus Lauer
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ABSTRACT: The etiology of multiple sclerosis is, at present, not definitely known, but genetic and environmental factors play a role in its causation. Environmental causes have a predominant impact. Epidemiologic research has contributed considerably to the identification of external risk factors in this multifactorial setting, but methodological constraints still play a major part. Viral and other microbial agents have drawn much attention, although none of them is a necessary condition for the disease. This is true also for the Epstein-Barr virus, for which most data, including prospective data, supports a role in the majority of multiple sclerosis patients. In parallel, the hypothesis is still attractive in that it is not the virus per se, but rather more the age when it infects the human being that is the crucial matter. Other risk factors, such as tobacco smoking and vitamin D deficiency, which have immunomodulating properties, may also play some role, although the latter is not compatible with all data of the descriptive epidmiology of multiple sclerosis. Diet might be of considerable importance, all the more since multiple sclerosis can be ecologically attributed to a certain food patterns and is inversely associated with others (e.g., the 'Mediterranean diet'). The hypothesis that the preservation of meat by nitrite and wood smoke plays a role, and the protective influence of a fish and, possibly, a vegetable diet, are supported by some studies, but methodological constraints limit, at present, definite conclusions. A new avenue is the search for an interaction between genetic and environmental causes, and also between several environmental factors that might lead to new approaches for prevention and, perhaps, for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.
Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics 03/2010; 10(3):421-40.
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Klaus Lauer
Neurology 02/2007; 68(4):311; author reply 311. · 8.31 Impact Factor
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Klaus Lauer
Tidsskrift for den Norske laegeforening 03/2006; 126(5):637-8.
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Klaus Lauer
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ABSTRACT: A lowered risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) has been reported in the Hutterite community residing mainly in southern Canada. In another anabaptist community, the Old Colony Mennonites (OCM), settled in Canada and spread to Latin America, only a large pedigree with an increased risk of autoimmune diseases, including type I diabetes and three cases of MS, was reported. The prevalence of MS in the pedigree (3,158 per 100,000), even when observing its confidence interval, seems rather high, and the MS prevalence in the Mennonite general population is assumed at least to be equal to the Canadian rates. Based upon an extended study of the literature, the hypothesis that smoking and curing with nitrate/nitrite plays any role, by interaction with inflammatory intestinal changes in childhood infections, is supported. In addition, tobacco smoking and short-term breast-feeding as possible risk factors are also in line with a higher MS risk in OCM, whereas insecticides and herbicides can be excluded as risk factors in MS.
Medical Hypotheses 02/2006; 67(4):969-74. · 1.39 Impact Factor
