Publications by authors named "Kalliope H Bellesis"
Background: Adverse childhood experiences are demonstrated risk factors for depression, a common co-morbidity of multiple sclerosis, but are understudied among people with multiple sclerosis.
Objective: Estimate the association between adverse childhood experiences and depression among 1,990 adults with multiple sclerosis.
Methods: Participants were members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California from two studies between 2006 and 2021 and were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis by a neurologist.
Background And Objectives: Migraine is common among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), but the reasons for this are unknown. We tested 3 hypothesized mechanisms for this observed comorbidity, including migraine is a risk factor of MS, genetic variants are shared between the conditions, and migraine is because of MS.
Methods: Data were from 2 sources: publicly available summary statistics from genome-wide association studies of MS (N = 115,748) and migraine (N = 375,752 and N = 361,141) and a case-control study of MS recruited from the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Health Plan (N = 1,991).
Pregnancy does not modify the risk of MS in genetically susceptible women.
Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm
November 2020
Objective: To use the case-only gene-environment (G [Formula: see text] E) interaction study design to estimate interaction between pregnancy before onset of MS symptoms and established genetic risk factors for MS among White adult females.
Methods: We studied 2,497 female MS cases from 4 cohorts in the United States, Sweden, and Norway with clinical, reproductive, and genetic data. Pregnancy exposure was defined in 2 ways: (1) [Formula: see text] live birth pregnancy before onset of MS symptoms and (2) parity before onset of MS symptoms.
Objectives: Determine the validity and reliability of a remote, technician-guided cognitive assessment for multiple sclerosis (MS), incorporating the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) and the California Verbal Learning Test, Second Edition (CVLT-II).
Methods: In 100 patients, we compared conventional in-person testing to remote, web-assisted assessments, and in 36 patients, we assessed test-retest reliability using two equivalent, alternative forms.
Results: In-person and remote-administered SDMT ( = 0.
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) incidence has increased recently, particularly in women, suggesting a possible role of one or more environmental exposures in MS risk. The study objective was to determine if animal, dietary, recreational, or occupational exposures are associated with MS risk.
Methods: Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used to identify a subset of exposures with potential relevance to disease in a large population-based (Kaiser Permanente Northern California [KPNC]) case-control study.
We used the California Verbal Learning Test, Second Edition (CVLT-II), one component of the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS), to determine feasibility of a remote assessment protocol. We compared telephone-administered CVLT-II data from MS patients to data acquired in person from an independent sample of patients and healthy controls. Mixed factor analyses of variance (ANOVAs) showed no significant differences between patient groups, but between-group effects comparing patients and healthy controls were significant.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Cognitive impairment is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), and affects employment and quality of life. Large studies are needed to identify risk factors for cognitive decline. Currently, a MS-validated remote assessment for cognitive function does not exist.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- This study examines the link between obesity and multiple sclerosis (MS), considering genetic and environmental influences on both genders.
- Results indicate that being overweight in childhood and adolescence significantly increases the risk of developing MS in females, with a notable dose-response relationship for those in their 20s.
- The findings suggest that the impact of obesity on MS risk in females is comparable to other established risk factors, even after accounting for factors like familial history and other genetic aspects.
Background: Tobacco smoke is an established risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS). We hypothesized that variation in genes involved in metabolism of tobacco smoke constituents may modify MS risk in smokers.
Methods: A three-stage gene-environment investigation was conducted for NAT1, NAT2, and GSTP1 variants.
Adverse socioeconomic position during the life course is associated with multiple sclerosis.
J Epidemiol Community Health
July 2014
Background: Adverse socioeconomic position (SEP) in childhood and adulthood is associated with a proinflammatory phenotype, and therefore an important exposure to consider for multiple sclerosis (MS), a complex neuroinflammatory autoimmune disease. The objective was to determine whether SEP over the life course confers increased susceptibility to MS.
Methods: 1643 white, non-Hispanic MS case and control members recruited from the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Plan, Northern California Region, for which comprehensive genetic, clinical and environmental exposure data have been collected were studied.