Cases of multiple sclerosis have more than doubled in England over the last 30 years – and a new study has found three lifestyle factors linked to a higher risk of death from the condition.
Multiple sclerosis – more commonly known as MS – is a debilitating neurological disease that attacks the brain and spinal cord, with no cure yet found to battle it.
It can cause problems ranging from extreme fatigue and dizziness to blurred vision, memory difficulties and an uncontrollable bladder.
Research by Imperial College London and published in the JAMA Neurology journal sought to investigate the rise in cases of MS in England over the last three decades.
Their study found that from 1990 to 2023, cases of the disease had more than doubled across the country.
At the time of their research there was believed to be 131,000 people diagnosed with the condition.
It was also uncovered that smoking, obesity and deprivation were all linked to a higher likelihood of death in people living with MS.
By observing data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink – which holds anonymous medical records representative of the English population – they uncovered that people were more likely to be diagnosed with MS if they were from less deprived areas.
Cases of multiple sclerosis have more than doubled in England over the last 30 years and there are three things more likely to make you die from the condition, a study has found
However, those from poorer places were more likely to die as a result of the disease.
The research found that, in comparison to current smokers with MS, former smokers had a 44 per cent lower risk of dying and non-smokers had a 40 per cent lower risk.
Elsewhere, it was uncovered that severely obese people had a 63 per cent higher risk of death than those of a normal weight with MS.
Those who were underweight also had an 18 per cent higher risk of death.
Somewhat surprisingly, those who were overweight or showed mild obesity had a 19 per cent lower risk of death.
Social status was also a key factor in their research, showing that those from more deprived areas were 22 per cent more likely to die from MS.
People from poorer backgrounds were more likely to be underweight or obese, the study found, putting them in the more dangerous weight brackets for death.
They were also found to be more likely to smoke, and have less access to specialist services or advanced treatments.
Those from better areas were more likely to receive early diagnoses and receive treatment early.
The UK has one of the highest rates of MS, although Canada tops the list with 291 cases per 100,000 people
The study found that this gave them a better chance of long-term survival, with a 12 per cent reduction in risk of death per year. It is thought that this may be due to them having access to better healthcare and earlier diagnoses.
Overall, people were found to be living longer with the condition now.
The authors say: ‘In England’s health care system, MS prevalence more than doubled while survival rates increased over 30 years.
‘Substantial gradients in tobacco use, abnormal weight, and socioeconomic deprivation persisted and were associated with mortality.
‘The higher MS prevalence in the least deprived areas alongside the higher mortality rates in the most deprived areas likely reflects differential case ascertainment and downstream social determinants; individuals in less deprived groups may undergo earlier diagnostic workup, increasing detected prevalence, whereas advantages such as lower comorbidity burden and greater access to therapies may contribute to lower mortality rates.’
The team acknowledged that their study had limitations including a reliance on already collected data, as well as ‘potential misclassification, and residual confounding’.
However, they added: ‘Integrating effective treatments with targeted smoking cessation and weight management strategies, and prioritising socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, represents a pragmatic route to reducing mortality rates and narrowing persistent inequalities in MS outcomes.’
MS is a life-changing, incurable condition affecting the brain and spinal cord that causes debilitating muscle spasms, among other symptoms.
While MS does not directly kill, at advanced stages, it can cause weakness in the chest muscles, leading to difficulty breathing and swallowing—which can have life-threatening complications.
Those in the late stage of the illness are also extremely vulnerable to potentially deadly infections.
Some studies show that MS patients are up to 75 per cent more likely to die young than those without the disease.
Most people find out they have MS in their thirties and forties, but the first signs can start years earlier. It is estimated that around 150,000 are people living with MS in the UK.
