Skip to main content

Table 2 Distribution of potential risk factors in cases and controls enrolled in a case-control study of risk factors for multiple sclerosis in Kuwait

From: A matched case-control study of risk factors associated with multiple sclerosis in Kuwait

Characteristics

MS patients

(N1 = 110)

Controls

(N2 = 110)

n1 (%)

n2 (%)

BMI

  < 25

50 (50.0)

54 (52.4)

 25–29.9

28 (28.0)

28 (27.2)

  ≥ 30

22 (22.0)

21 (20.4)

Education level at MS diagnosis (≤ high school vs. > high school level)

29 (26.4)

19 (17.3)

Birth order (1st/2nd or more)

24 (21.8)

26 (23.6)

Parents’ relationship

 Unrelated

80 (72.7)

73 (66.4)

 First degree cousins

22 (20.0)

21 (19.1)

 Second degree cousins

8 (7.3)

16 (14.5)

Presence during Gulf war (yes/no)

59 (53.6)

71 (64.5)

Family history of MS (yes/no)

33 (30.0)

13 (11.8)

Tobacco smoking (yes/no)

18 (16.4)

12 (10.9)

Childhood exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (yes/no)

47 (42.7)

56 (50.9)

Regular passive smoking (yes/no)

67 (62.0)

69 (62.7)

Tonsillectomy before MS onset (yes/no)

10 (9.1)

9 (8.2)

Appendectomy before MS onset (yes/no)

9 (8.2)

3 (2.7)

Receiving Influenza vaccine before MS onset (yes/no)

18 (16.4)

32 (29.1)

Self-reported vitamin D deficiency (yes/no)

83 (75.5)

76 (69.1)