Comorbidities in MS Associate with Disease Activity

Investigators retrospectively evaluated comorbidities in 959 participants enrolled in the CombiRx study (interferon beta vs. glatiramer acetate vs. the combination), with median follow-up of 3.4 years. Disease activity was defined as relapses, disability worsening, or new gadolinium-enhancing lesions on MRI.

At least one comorbidity was identified in 55% of patients. Adjusted analyses indicated that anxiety was associated with an increased risk for disease activity (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.01–1.55), as was dyslipidemia (HR, 1.32; 1.01–1.72). Migraine was associated with reduced risk for disease activity (HR, 0.80; 0.67–0.96). Subanalyses indicated the risk associated with anxiety was manifest as an increase in relapses, an association that remai…