To explore the clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Asian American patients.

MS is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Worldwide, MS affects over two million people; in many South Asian communities, the prevalence of MS is lower. Importantly, many Asians immigrate to other countries prior to the development of the disease process, and understanding these patterns lends to the heterogeneity of the disease. To date, there are few studies that evaluate the differences in MS in the Asian population based on place of birth.

This is a single North American center retrospective study. Chart review was conducted on 119 patients, above age 18, who self-identified as Asian. Demographic and clinical characteristics were analyzed, and patients were stratified by place of birth, if known.

Region of birth was known for 81/119 patients: 40 were born in the United States (US) and 41 were born elsewhere. Of the 119 patients, 25.2% were male while 74.8% were female. Mean age at first symptom and diagnosis was similar between the two sub-groups. In both sub-groups, the diagnosis was predominantly relapsing-remitting MS, with chief presenting symptom as sensory. Median expanded disability status scale at initial visit was 1 in the US-born group and 1.5 in the non-US born group (p-value=0.84). Time in years from symptom onset to initiation of disease-modifying therapy (DMT) in both sub-groups was 1, p-value=0.37. Initial DMT in the US-born group was predominantly interferons 11/40, then no treatment 8/40; in the non-US born group there was equal proportion of no treatment and interferons (13/41). MS severity score (MSSS) was 2.44 in both sub-groups, p-value=0.93.

There are similar clinical characteristics and DMT selections between Asian Americans with MS born within the US to those born outside the US.