common, and irritable bowel syndrome was nearly twice as common among those who were later diagnosed with MS, the records showed.
People who were later diagnosed with MS also had much higher rates of migraines and mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, and they were 50 percent more likely to have seen a psychiatrist, Tremlett’s group found.
The people later diagnosed with MS also had higher use of medications for musculoskeletal, nervous system, and urinary tract disorders, as well as antidepressants and antibiotics, according to the study published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal.
The researchers said their findings provide definitive evidence that MS can be preceded by early symptoms.
“We now need to delve deeper into this phenomenon … to see if there are discernible patterns related to sex, age, or the” type of MS, Tremlett said in a university news release.
Dr. Asaf Harel is a neurologist who cares for MS patients at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. He said many of the findings were “not surprising,” but added that more and better research may be needed.
According to Harel, the average age of MS onset in this Canadian study “was older than