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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether past high sun exposure is associated with a reduced risk of multiple sclerosis. DESIGN: Population based case-control study. SETTING: Tasmania, latitudes 41-3 degrees S. PARTICIPANTS: 136 cases with multiple sclerosis and 272 controls randomly drawn from the community and matched on sex and year of birth. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Multiple sclerosis defined by both clinical and magnetic resonance imaging criteria. RESULTS: Higher sun exposure when aged 6-15 years (average 2-3 hours or more a day in summer during weekends and holidays) was associated with a decreased risk of multiple sclerosis (adjusted odds ratio 0.31, 95% confidence interval 0.16 to 0.59). Higher exposure in winter seemed more important than higher exposure in summer. Greater actinic damage was also independently associated with a decreased risk of multiple sclerosis (0.32, 0.11 to 0.88 for grades 4-6 disease). A dose-response relation was observed between multiple sclerosis and decreasing sun exposure when aged 6-15 years and with actinic damage. CONCLUSION: Higher sun exposure during childhood and early adolescence is associated with a reduced risk of multiple sclerosis. Insufficient ultraviolet radiation may therefore influence the development of multiple sclerosis.

Item Type:	Article
Authors/Creators:	van der Mei, IAF and Ponsonby, AL and Dwyer, T and Blizzard, CL and Simmons, R and Taylor, BV and Butzkueven, H and Kilpatrick, T
Keywords:	multiple sclerosis, case-control study, sun exposure, ultraviolet radiation, skin
Journal or Publication Title:	British Medical Journal
ISSN:	0959-535X
DOI / ID Number:	https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.327.7410.316
Additional Information:	http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/327/7410/316
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