Multimorbidity patterns among persons with multiple sclerosis in Denmark: A national cross-sectional survey study

OBJECTIVES: This national cross-sectional survey study aimed to investigate the prevalence and clustering of co-occurring diseases in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Denmark. The study also examined the associations between socio-demographic and MS-specific characteristics and multimorbidity clusters.

METHODS: The survey, conducted by the Danish MS Society, was carried out among 3,114 persons with MS (PwMS). The survey included information on 27 diseases, socio-demographic factors, and MS-specific factors. Weighted principal component analysis and K-means cluster analysis were used to identify multimorbidity clusters. Multinomial regression analyses were conducted to explore the associations between cluster membership and background variables.

RESULTS: Seventy-five percent of the respondents reported having one or more diseases in addition to MS. The most common coexisting diseases were hypertension (25.1%), hyperlipidemia (18.4%), allergy (18.2%), slipped disc/other spine disorders (17.9%), and osteoarthritis (17.9%). Five multimorbidity clusters were identified: "None-to-low multimorbidity", "Gastrointestinal, Musculoskeletal", "Cardiovascular, Diabetes", "Asthma, Allergy", and "Mental Illness". The clusters differed in terms of socio-demographic and MS-specific factors.

CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the patterns and clusters of multimorbidity, along with their links to socio-demographic and MS-specific characteristics, can help guide healthcare providers in assessing the healthcare needs of PwMS and in developing preventive strategies.