Epidemiology Poster Presentation

P0494 - Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with multiple sclerosis by race and ethnicity (NARCRMS registry) (ID 808)

Speakers
  • V. Rivera
Authors
  • V. Rivera
  • P. Repovic
  • A. Adeyemi
  • A. Altincatal
  • C. Perez-Bajandas
  • T. Saldana-King
  • W. Castro-Borrero
Presentation Number
P0494
Presentation Topic
Epidemiology

Abstract

Background

The North American Registry for Care and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (NARCRMS) registry is a physician-based registry/longitudinal database for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). NARCRMS may elucidate the patient characteristics of underserved populations such as Blacks/African Americans (AA) and Hispanics/Latinos.

Objectives

To describe the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients presenting with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) within the NARCRMS registry by race and ethnicity.

Methods

The NARCRMS registry contains data of MS patients aged 18-50 years across 24 sites from the US and Canada. This exploratory analysis describes characteristics of patients who enrolled between December 2016 and May 2020 (N=722), including age, gender, education, income level and occupation, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) categories, and disease-modifying therapy (DMT) categories/DMT use. Patient characteristics were summarized by frequencies and proportions for categorical variables and by means, standard deviations (SDs) and medians for continuous variables.

Results

The mean age (SD) of patients in this study was 40.1 (10.4) years; 71% were female. Majority (85%, n=587/695) were White; Black/AA patients comprised 11% (n=74/695). Educational attainment was comparable between races ― 22-24% with a high school degree, and 47-49% with an undergraduate degree. However, more Black/AA than White patients were unemployed (8%, n=6/72 vs 3%, n=15/565) or had an annual income <$15K (16%, n=12/73 vs 6%, n=35/573). Overall, 72% of patients had mild MS (EDSS scores 0‒2.5). However, twice as many Blacks/AAs had substantial disability (EDSS score ≥4.0) vs Whites (20%, n=15/74 vs 9.7%, n=57/587, respectively). Over half of all patients (57%, n=370/646) were treated with DMTs, with 50% (n=198) using injectables and 37% (n=147) using oral DMTs. Hispanics comprised 24% (n=152/646) of the patients, including Black/AA-Hispanic (3%, n=19/646) and White-Hispanic (21%, n=133/646). Hispanic patients were less likely than non-Hispanics to use DMTs, 43% (n=65/152) vs 62% (n=305/494). Of the subgroups, Black/AA-Hispanics were least likely to use DMTs (26%, n=5/19).

Conclusions

Blacks/AAs present with more severe disability than White patients. More Hispanics than non-Hispanics are not treated with DMTs. Real-world data show disparities in socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with MS.

Supported by: Biogen

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