Concurrence of Multiple Sclerosis and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

To the Editor: Minuk and Lewkonia (Feb. 27, 1986, issue)¹ suggest that the familial concurrence of multiple sclerosis and idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease) may represent shared genetic causes, environmental causes, or both and state that their observations require replication and substantiation in other geographic regions.Detailed genetic histories are taken for all patients attending the Multiple Sclerosis Clinic in Vancouver, British Columbia. From January 1984 through 1987, 748 consecutive, unrelated patients with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis based on recognized criteria² were asked about the occurrence of inflammatory bowel disease in themselves and their first-degree . . .