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. 2014 Dec;20(14):1892-5.
doi: 10.1177/1352458514535130. Epub 2014 May 22.

Multiple sclerosis in New Zealand Māori

John F Pearson  1 , Sridhar Alla  2 , Glynnis Clarke  3 , Bruce V Taylor  4 , David H Miller  5 , Ann Richardson  6 , Deborah F Mason  7
Affiliations

Multiple sclerosis in New Zealand Māori

John F Pearson et al. Mult Scler. 2014 Dec.

Abstract

The prevalence of MS in New Zealand in 2006 was 73.2 (age standardized per 100,000) while for those with indigenous Māori ancestry it was 3.6 times lower at 20.6. Earlier regional surveys (1968-2001) all reported much lower, or zero, prevalence for Māori than European. There was no evidence for differences in MS between those with and without Māori ancestry in either clinical features or latitude, confirming that Māori ancestry does not produce the reported increase in prevalence with latitude. It is likely that prevalence is increasing in low risk Māori; however, MS prognosis is independent of Māori ancestry.

Keywords: Multiple sclerosis; Māori; clinical symptoms; indigenous; latitude gradient; prevalence.

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