Highlights
- •Disparities in therapy response and tolerability may exist based on race/ethnicity.
- •In this study, minority groups had poorer outcomes despite similar treatment patterns.
- •Therapy outcome can contribute to multi-ethnic health disparities in MS.
Abstract
Background
Inter-individual response and tolerability profiles associated with available disease-modifying
treatments (DMTs) are an important aspect of the therapeutic decision-making process
in multiple sclerosis (MS). In the absence of racially diverse clinical studies, the
possible effect of race and ethnicity on treatment outcome remains uncertain. This
study aims to compare disease outcome among Hispanic, Black, and White patients with
MS, and assess the impact of race/ethnicity on long-term outcome.
Methods
A retrospective review of electronic medical records was performed on a multiethnic
cohort of MS patients treated in a large academic center. Sociodemographic characteristics,
treatment regimens, and disability outcomes were compared between the three groups.
Results
A total of 300 age- and gender-matched MS patients (100 Hispanic, 100 Black, and 100
White) were included in the study. When assessing the overall survival of MS patients
without ambulatory disability 5 years from diagnosis, Hispanics and Blacks attained
lower survival times compared to Whites (survival time ratio [STR] 0.17, p = 0.004; and 0.14, p = 0.002, respectively). Black patients had the highest rate of disease progression
and treatment-limiting adverse events despite similar sociodemographic profiles and
DMT exposure relative to Hispanics and Whites.
Conclusion
Racial/ethnic disparities in treatment outcome create an unmet need to identify tailored,
multifaceted approaches to therapy selection in MS.
Graphical abstract
Graphical Abstract
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 08, 2021
Accepted:
September 1,
2021
Received in revised form:
August 10,
2021
Received:
May 29,
2021
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
