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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Is season of birth associated with multiple sclerosis?

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Objective - To compare the monthly distribution of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients' births with that of the Sicilian population. Background -Studies on the association between season of birth and risk of MS are scanty and controversial. Design and methods - Archives of the Institute of Neuropsychiatry of the Universities of Palermo and Catania were searched up to 1995 for definite MS patients (McDonald & Halliday criteria). The monthly distribution of MS patients' births (N=965) was compared with that of the Sicilian population (N = 5,608,307). Results -The distribution of births among MS patients compared with the general population was not different when tested by the X 2 statistic (P > 0.25). The Hewitt's non-parametric test for seasonality showed an excess of births between June and November among MS patients (P = 0.004). Conclusion - A different pattern of MS patients' births is observed in Sicily and in Northern countries.