Premium
Infectious mononucleosis and risk for multiple sclerosis: A meta‐analysis
Author(s) -
Thacker Evan L.,
Mirzaei Fariba,
Ascherio Alberto
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.20820
Subject(s) - mononucleosis , multiple sclerosis , medicine , confidence interval , meta analysis , epstein–barr virus infection , cohort study , risk factor , relative risk , epstein–barr virus , cohort , case control study , immunology , virus , pediatrics
Objective To characterize the association between infectious mononucleosis (IM), a frequent clinical manifestation of primary Epstein–Barr virus infection after childhood, and the risk for multiple sclerosis (MS).Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis of case–control and cohort studies of IM and MS.Results The combined relative risk of MS after IM from 14 studies was 2.3 (95% confidence interval, 1.7–3.0; p < 10 −8 ). Potential sources of heterogeneity (ie, study design, MS definition, and latitude) barely influenced our results.Interpretation We conclude that Epstein–Barr virus infection manifesting as IM in adolescents and young adults is a risk factor for MS. Ann Neurol 2006; 59:499–503