From the North Texas Institute of Neurology and Headache (A.F.O.), Plano; Multiple Sclerosis Institute of Texas (A.M.H.), Houston; Joi Life Wellness Multiple Sclerosis Neurology Center (M.J.W.), Smyrna, GA; Providence Brain and Spine Institute (J.D.B., C.C., T.L.S., E.B., S.L.C.), Portland, OR; and Alphabet Health (G.J.), New York.
Neurology. 2022 Jun 14;98(24):1015-1020. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000200791. Epub 2022 Apr 25.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) has historically been underdiagnosed and undertreated among African Americans. Recent evidence suggests that African Americans with MS have a different clinical presentation, increased disease incidence and burden, and worse long-term outcomes vs their White counterparts. Due to limited data available for African Americans in MS clinical trials, it is difficult to make informed, generalizable conclusions about the natural history, prognosis, and therapeutic response in this population. In this narrative review, we highlight the nature and magnitude of the health disparities experienced by African Americans with MS and underscore the pressing need to increase knowledge about and understanding of MS disease manifestations in this group. In addition, we describe the mission and objectives of the recently established National African Americans with Multiple Sclerosis Registry, which is intended to be a platform to advance the care of African Americans with MS and address health disparities they may experience.
多发性硬化症（MS）在非裔美国人中一直存在诊断不足和治疗不足的情况。最近的证据表明，非裔美国人多发性硬化症患者的临床表现不同，疾病发病率和负担增加，长期预后较白人患者更差。由于多发性硬化症临床试验中可供非裔美国人使用的数据有限，因此难以针对该人群的自然病史、预后和治疗反应得出明智且具有普遍性的结论。在这篇叙述性综述中，我们强调了非裔美国人多发性硬化症患者所经历的健康差距的性质和程度，并强调迫切需要增加对该人群多发性硬化症疾病表现的了解和认识。此外，我们描述了最近成立的国家非裔美国人多发性硬化症登记处的使命和目标，该登记处旨在成为一个推进非裔美国人多发性硬化症护理和解决他们可能面临的健康差距的平台。
