Table 2 Personal and lifestyle characteristics of included MS patients and controls

Tobacco use and exposure

Ever smoker, n (%)

386 (74.5)

495 (54.8)

1.15×10^-13a

Ever snuff use, n (%)

60 (11.4)

141 (15.6)

0.029^a

Ever exposure to passive smoke, n (%)

380 (72.2)

652 (72.0)

0.94^a

Comorbidity

Autoimmune disease other than MS, n (%)

85 (16.0)

151 (16.4)

0.84^a

Tonsillectomy, n (%)

118 (23.2)

174 (19.3)

0.078^a

Appendectomy, n (%)

60 (11.8)

106 (11.8)

1.0^a

Female reproductive health*

Age at menarche, mean (SD)

13.07 (1.38)

12.97 (1.43)

0.28^b

Number of children, mean (SD)

1.21 (1.07)

1.77 (1.12)

4.89×10^-14b

Age at first child, mean (SD)

27.34 (5.50)

27.05 (4.79)

0.47^b