Traditional risk factors may not explain increased incidence of myocardial infarction in MS

Neurocardiology Update: The Brain-Heart Connection in Multiple Sclerosis-A Narrative Review

Background and Aims

While multiple sclerosis (MS) is primarily considered a neurological disorder, mounting evidence suggests a strong association with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), impacting both disease progression and patient outcomes. This paper aims to raise awareness of this disease association while promoting a clinical-oriented, multidisciplinary approach that can provide long-term benefits for these patients.

Methods

A comprehensive literature review was conducted to gather up-to-date evidence concerning the incidence and type of CVDs associated with MS, the mechanisms underlying this disease association, as well as the impact on MS progression. Based on this evidence, a neurocardiological approach to MS in clinical practice was proposed.

Results

Past and present research agree on the high rates of arterial hypertension, metabolic syndrome, stroke, and myocardial infarction in people with MS. However, other prevalent comorbidities, such as venous thromboembolism and autonomic dysfunction may be easily overlooked in clinical practice. A complex interplay between genetic predisposition, traditional risk factors, autonomic dysfunction, inflammation, and treatment-related factors likely plays a role in promoting CVDs in MS. The impact of cardiovascular dysfunction on MS progression ranges from subclinical impairments, such as impaired axonal repairing, to overt physical disability and cognitive dysfunction. This paper proposes a neurocardiological approach to the daily clinical practice of MS patients, comprising general lifestyle measures, comorbidity screening at MS diagnosis, extensive work-ups for progressive/active forms, and selected autonomic dysfunction screening.

Conclusion

MS is a lifelong disorder that can be associated with a multitude of comorbidities, particularly cardiovascular ones. Along with increased mortality, cardiovascular pathology can adversely affect clinical and radiological-derived MS outcomes. Thus, surveillance and preventative measures are required for this population.

Multiple sclerosis and vascular nexus: A systematic review and meta-analysis of incidence and mortality

BACKGROUND

Vascular diseases (VDs) are increasingly studied in multiple sclerosis (MS) due to their significant impact on disability and mortality. Our aim was to evaluate VD incidence rates and determine the prevalence of VD-related mortality.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Our study followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, Europe PMC, and Web of Science from the inception up to April 30th, 2024. Data analysis was performed using the R statistics package program. Sensitivity analysis, subgroup analysis, and meta-regression were conducted for significant heterogeneity.

RESULTS

We collected 23 studies. Patients with MS exhibited significantly higher rates of VD compared with controls. Patients with MS showed a significantly higher rate of heart failure (HF), venous thromboembolism (VTE), peripheral vascular disease (PVD), and stroke, although the incidence rate of atrial fibrillation/flutter was significantly lower compared with controls. High blood pressure tended to be lower compared with controls. The highest rate of VD was within the first 10years of follow-up, significantly for myocardial infraction, VTE, and stroke, compared with controls. Regarding mortality, the prevalence of VD-related mortality among deceased individuals with MS was 16.7% [95% CI 11.8;22.0].

CONCLUSION

Our meta-analysis revealed a significant dynamic nexus between MS and VD. MS may act as an independent risk factor for certain VDs, yet it could also be a protective factor against others. Physicians should consider VD and mortality related to VD when managing patients with MS.

Current understanding of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction in multiple sclerosis

Autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), are proven to increase the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to a robust systemic immune response and inflammation. MS can lead to cardiovascular abnormalities that are related to autonomic nervous system dysfunction by causing inflammatory lesions surrounding tracts of the autonomic nervous system in the brain and spinal cord. CVD in MS patients can affect an already damaged brain, thus worsening the disease course by causing brain atrophy and white matter disease. Currently, the true prevalence of cardiovascular dysfunction and associated death rates in patients with MS are mostly unknown and inconsistent. Treating vascular risk factors is recommended to improve the management of this disease. This review provides an updated summary of CVD prevalence in patients with MS, emphasizing the need for more preclinical studies using animal models to understand the pathogenesis of MS better. However, no distinct studies exist that explore the temporal effects and etiopathogenesis of immune/inflammatory cells on cardiac damage and dysfunction associated with MS, particularly in the cardiac myocardium. To this end, a thorough investigation into the clinical presentation and underlying mechanisms of CVD must be conducted in patients with MS and preclinical animal models. Additionally, clinicians should monitor for cardiovascular complications while prescribing medications to MS patients, as some MS drugs cause severe CVD.

Carotid intima media thickness in multiple sclerosis: A CLSA study

BACKGROUND

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have an increased incidence of atherosclerotic disease, including ischemic heart disease and stroke, compared to people without MS even after accounting for risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes and smoking. We compared carotid intima media thickness (CIMT), a surrogate of atherosclerosis, in people with MS and in two groups of people without MS (rheumatoid arthritis [RA]; all other participants).

METHODS

We used data from participants in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) who did not have known vascular disease (ischemic heart disease, stroke, transient ischemic attack, peripheral vascular disease) and who underwent carotid ultrasound for assessment of CIMT. We selected participants with MS, RA and controls who did not have MS or RA. Using age and gender-stratified norms for average CIMT in the CLSA, we identified participants in each cohort with a CIMT ≥75th percentile (subclinical atherosclerosis). We also calculated ten-year level of cardiovascular risk using the Framingham Risk Score (FRS). We tested the association between cohort membership (MS, RA, controls) and atherosclerosis using logistic regression, adjusted for FRS, abdominal obesity, excess alcohol intake, education and elevated symptoms of depression. We adjusted all analyses for the stratified sampling design.

RESULTS

We included 78 participants with MS, 364 participants with RA and 13,891 controls. Overall, the average (SE) CIMT was 0.699 (0.002), and this did not differ between cohorts. Logistic regression analyses revealed that cohort membership was not associated with atherosclerosis based on the average CIMT in unadjusted or adjusted models. However, a 1-point higher FRS was associated with 1.032 (95 %CI: 1.021, 1.043) increased odds of atherosclerosis.

CONCLUSION

Average CIMT does not differ between people with MS, people with RA and people without these diseases. Subclinical atherosclerosis as defined by a CIMT ≥75 % is not observed in people with MS at an increased rate beyond what FRS would predict. Further evaluation is needed to determine what mechanisms underlie the increased rates of cardiovascular disease and stroke in MS.

Impact of aging on treatment considerations for multiple sclerosis patients

With a rapidly aging global population and improvement of outcomes with newer multiple sclerosis (MS)-specific disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), the epidemiology of MS has shifted to an older than previously described population, with a peak prevalence of the disease seen in the 55-65 years age group. Changes in the pathophysiology of MS appear to be age-dependent. Several studies have identified a consistent phase of disability worsening around the fifth decade of life. The latter appears to be independent of prior disease duration and inflammatory activity and concomitant to pathological changes from acute focal active demyelination to chronic smoldering plaques, slow-expanding lesions, and compartmentalized inflammation within the central nervous system (CNS). On the other hand, decreased CNS tissue reserve and poorer remyelinating capacity with aging lead to loss of relapse recovery potential. Aging with MS may imply longer exposure to DMTs, although treatment efficacy in patients >55 years has not been evaluated in pivotal randomized controlled trials and appears to decrease with age. Older individuals are more prone to adverse effects of DMTs, an important aspect of treatment individualization. Aging with MS also implies a higher global burden of comorbid illnesses that contribute to overall impairments and represent a crucial confounder in interpreting clinical worsening. Discontinuation of DMTs after age 55, when no evidence of clinical or radiological activity is detected, is currently under the spotlight. In this review, we will discuss the impact of aging on MS pathobiology, the effect of comorbidities and other confounders on clinical worsening, and focus on current therapeutic considerations in this age group.

Prevalence of chronic comorbidities in people with multiple sclerosis: descriptive study based on administrative data in Tuscany (Central Italy)

Objective

Chronic comorbidities are common in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), thus worsening their prognosis and quality of life, and increasing disease burden. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of common comorbidities in PwMS in Tuscany (Central Italy) and to compare it with the general population.

Methods

The prevalence of comorbidities, including diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypertension, stroke, heart failure (HF), cardiac infarction and ischemic heart disease (IHD), was assessed in PwMS and in general population resident in Tuscany, aged > 20 years, using administrative data.

Results

In total, we identified 8,274 PwMS. Among them, 34% had at least one comorbidity, with hypertension being the most common (28.5%). Comparing PwMS with the general population, PwMS had a higher frequency of hypertension and stroke when considering the whole group, and of diabetes, COPD, and IHD when considering sex and age subgroups. This increased risk was especially evident in the young and intermediate age groups, where multiple sclerosis may play an important role as risk factor for some comorbidities.

In PwMS, as well as in the general population, prevalence of chronic diseases was higher in males and increased with age.

Conclusions

Comorbidities frequently coexist with multiple sclerosis and they may have an impact on this complex disease, from the health, clinical, and socioeconomic points of view. Therefore, a routine screening of chronic comorbidities should be a crucial step in clinical practice, as well as the promotion of healthy lifestyles to prevent the onset and to reduce their burden.

Acute myocardial infarction risk in multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: A nationwide cohort study in South Korea

BACKGROUND

The link between neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and cardiovascular disease is currently unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the acute myocardial infarction (MI) risk in patients with MS and NMOSD.

METHODS

This study analyzed the Korean National Health Insurance Service database between January 2010 and December 2017. The included patients comprised 1503/1675 adults with MS/NMOSD who had not experienced ischemic heart disease or ischemic stroke at the index date. Matched controls were selected based on age, sex, and the presence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), and dyslipidemia.

RESULTS

The risks of developing MI were 2.61 (hazard ratio (HR), 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.73-3.95) and 1.95 (95% CI = 1.18-3.22) times higher in MS and NMOSD compared with the control populations. Patients with NMOSD had a similar MI risk compared with patients with MS, after adjusting for age, sex, income, hypertension, DM, and dyslipidemia (HR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.34-1.02, p = 0.059). Among each patient group, the MI risk did not differ significantly with age (20-39, 40-64 or ⩾65 years), sex, or the presence of hypertension, DM, or dyslipidemia.

CONCLUSION

The MI risk increased in MS and NMOSD and seemed to be comparable between NMOSD and MS.

Multiple Sclerosis and the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases: A Mendelian Randomization Study

BACKGROUND

Observational studies suggested that multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, the causal association has not been fully elucidated. Thus, we aim to assess the causality of the associations of MS with risk of CVDs.

METHODS

A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study was performed to explore the causality. Genetic instruments were identified for MS from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 115,803 individuals. Summary-level data for CVDs were obtained from different GWAS meta-analysis studies. MR analysis was conducted mainly using the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method. Sensitivity analyses were further performed to ensure the robustness of the results.

RESULTS

This MR study found suggestive evidence that genetic liability to MS was associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) [odds ratio (OR), 1.02; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.00-1.04; p = 0.03], myocardial infarction (MI) (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.00-1.06; p = 0.01), heart failure (HF) (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.00-1.04; p = 0.02), all-cause stroke (AS) (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.00-1.05; p = 0.02), and any ischemic stroke (AIS) (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.00-1.05; p = 0.04). The null-association was observed between MS and the other CVDs. Further analyses found little evidence of pleiotropy.

CONCLUSIONS

We provided suggestive genetic evidence for the causal associations of MS with increased risk of CAD, MI, HF, AS, and AIS, which highlighted the significance of active monitoring and prevention of cardiovascular risk to combat cardiovascular comorbidities in MS patients.

The prevalence of Myocardial Infarction among Multiple Sclerosis Patients: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

People with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) are suggested to have a higher death rate compared to the overall population. Increased risk and incidence of cardiovascular diseases is a possible contributing factor here, as these patients are suggested to be more prone to early death due to myocardial infarction (MI).

AIM

This systematic review aims to describe the prevalence of MI among PwMS in comparison to the non-MS population.

METHOD

We thoroughly searched for publications reporting the prevalence of MI among PwMS in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science. We excluded studies focusing on the following conditions: ischemic heart disease only, autopsy of PwMS, MS patients with a previous history of cardiovascular diseases, and MS diagnosed after MI. Moreover, we excluded reviews, editorials, and commentaries. We used the random effect model to calculate the pooled prevalence.

RESULTS

We included nineteen studies, comprising 44 to 66616 participants. The overall prevalence of MI was 1.7% among PwMS. The pooled odds ratio estimate for MI was 1.41 in PwMS compared to the MS-free population.

CONCLUSIONS

Results of this systematic review confirms the increased risk of MI among PwMS. Consequently, cardiovascular diseases should be considered in the management of these patients.

Associations between multiple sclerosis and incidence of heart diseases: Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

BACKGROUND

Observational studies have described associations between multiple sclerosis (MS) and heart diseases, but the results were mixed.

METHODS

Medline, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched up to 5 October 2020 according to a protocol (PROSPERO registration number CRD42020184493). We included longitudinal non-randomized studies of exposure comparing the incidence of acquired heart diseases between people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) and people without multiple sclerosis. We used ROBINS-E and the GRADE approach to assess risk of bias and the certainty of evidence, respectively. Data were pooled using random-effect models.

RESULTS

Of 5,159 studies, nine studies met the inclusion criteria. MS was associated with an increased risk for myocardial infarction (HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.0, I2 86%, n = 1,209,079) and heart failure (HR 1.7, 95% CI 1.3 to 2.2, I2 49%, n = 489,814). The associations were more pronounced among women and younger people in subgroup analyses. We found no difference for ischemic heart disease (HR 1.0, 95% CI 0.8 to 1.4, I2 86%, n = 679,378) and bradycardia (HR 1.5, 95% CI 0.4 to 5.0, I2 50%, n = 187,810). The risk of atrial fibrillation was lower in pwMS (HR 0.7, 95% CI 0.6 to 0.8, I2 0%, n = 354,070), but the risk of bias was high, and the certainty of evidence was rated as very low. One study found more cases of infectious endocarditis among pwMS (HR 1.2, 95% CI 1.0 to 1.4, n = 83,712).

CONCLUSIONS

Myocardial infarction and heart failure should be considered in people with multiple sclerosis during follow-up examinations.

Evaluating the Risk of Macrovascular Events and Mortality Among People With Multiple Sclerosis in England

Importance

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality; however, evidence from population-based studies is sparse.

Objective

To assess whether the risk of macrovascular events and mortality differs among people with MS compared with a matched population without MS in England.

Design, Setting, and Participants

A population-based retrospective matched cohort study was conducted in general practices registered with the Clinical Practice Research Datalink in England between January 1, 1987, and September 30, 2018, with a mean (SD) follow-up of 11.3 (6.5) years. A total of 12 251 patients with MS were matched with up to 6 people without MS (n = 72 572) by age, sex, and general practice. People with 3 or more diagnoses of MS recorded during the study period were included. The first MS diagnosis was considered as index date.

Exposures

Multiple sclerosis status. Analyses were also stratified by sex.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Main outcomes were acute coronary syndrome, cerebrovascular disease, any macrovascular disease (including peripheral arterial disease), and mortality (all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease-specific mortality). Cox proportional hazards regression and Fine and Gray proportional subhazard regression models were used to assess differences in rates.

Results

A total of 12 251 people with MS (66.9% women; mean [SD] age, 44.9 [13.3] years) were matched with 72 572 people without MS (69.8% women; mean [SD] age, 44.9 [13.3] years). As compared with people without MS, people with MS were associated with a 28% increased hazard of acute coronary syndrome (hazard ratio [HR], 1.28; 95% CI, 1.09-1.51), 59% increased hazard of cerebrovascular disease (HR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.32-1.92), 32% increased hazard of any macrovascular disease (HR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.15-1.52), 3.5-fold increased hazard of all-cause mortality (HR, 3.46; 95% CI, 3.28-3.65), and 1.5-fold increased hazard in cardiovascular disease mortality (HR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.27-1.71). Differences in macrovascular events were more pronounced among women than men. Mortality risk was also higher for women than men. Treatment with lipid-lowering medications (mainly statins) was associated with lower mortality rates among people with MS.

Conclusions and Relevance

This study suggests that MS is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease that is not completely accounted for by traditional vascular risk factors. Given the adverse effects of these comorbidities on outcomes in patients with MS, further investigation is needed.

Vascular disease and multiple sclerosis: a post-mortem study exploring their relationships

Vascular comorbidities have a deleterious impact on multiple sclerosis clinical outcomes but it is unclear whether this is mediated by an excess of extracranial vascular disease (i.e. atherosclerosis) and/or of cerebral small vessel disease or worse multiple sclerosis pathology. To address these questions, a study using a unique post-mortem cohort wherein whole body autopsy reports and brain tissue were available for interrogation was established. Whole body autopsy reports were used to develop a global score of systemic vascular disease that included aorta and coronary artery atheroma, cardiac hypertensive disease, myocardial infarction and ischaemic stroke. The score was applied to 85 multiple sclerosis cases (46 females, age range 39 to 84 years, median 62.0 years) and 68 control cases. Post-mortem brain material from a subset of the multiple sclerosis (n = 42; age range 39-84 years, median 61.5 years) and control (n = 39) cases was selected for detailed neuropathological study. For each case, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue from the frontal and occipital white matter, basal ganglia and pons was used to obtain a global cerebral small vessel disease score that captured the presence and/or severity of arteriolosclerosis, periarteriolar space dilatation, haemosiderin leakage, microinfarcts, and microbleeds. The extent of multiple sclerosis-related pathology (focal demyelination and inflammation) was characterized in the multiple sclerosis cases. Regression models were used to investigate the influence of disease status on systemic vascular disease and cerebral small vessel disease scores and, in the multiple sclerosis group, the relationship between multiple sclerosis-related pathology and both vascular scores. We show that: (i) systemic cardiovascular burden, and specifically atherosclerosis, is lower and cerebral small vessel disease is higher in multiple sclerosis cases that die at younger ages compared with control subjects; (ii) the association between systemic vascular disease and cerebral small vessel disease is stronger in patients with multiple sclerosis compared with control subjects; and (iii) periarteriolar changes, including periarteriolar space dilatation, haemosiderin deposition and inflammation, are key features of multiple sclerosis pathology outside the classic demyelinating lesion. Our data argue against a common primary trigger for atherosclerosis and multiple sclerosis but suggest that an excess burden of cerebral small vessel disease in multiple sclerosis may explain the link between vascular comorbidity and accelerated irreversibility disability.

Comorbidity in multiple sclerosis patients from Nordland County, Norway - validated data from the Norwegian Patient Registry

BACKGROUND

Knowledge of comorbid disorders is important to optimize therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS), but data are limited. The aim of this study was to assess comorbidity in persons with MS living in Nordland County on January 1, 2017.

METHODS

Data were retrieved from the Norwegian Patient Registry (2008-2017) and validated through review of electronic hospital charts (1970-2017). Comorbidity was defined as any distinct disorder, classified in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), that had existed or occurred after the diagnosis of MS was established.

RESULTS

Data from 637 subjects were reviewed, and 97.5% were registered with at least one comorbid condition. Malignant melanoma was found in 0.5%, and non-melanoma skin cancers in 1.9%. In female subjects, breast cancer was found in 3.3%. Hypothyroidism was confirmed in 3.1%, type-1 diabetes in 0.3%, type-2 diabetes in 3.9%, psychosis in 0.6%, epilepsy in 2.8%, myocardial infarction in 1.7%, subarachnoid hemorrhage in 0.2%, cerebral infarction in 0.6%, pulmonary embolism in 0.9%, inflammatory bowel disease in 1.3%, and rheumatoid arthritis in 0.6%.

CONCLUSION

Compared to reports from other Norwegian epidemiological studies, a higher proportion of inflammatory bowel disease and epilepsy was found. This is in accordance with findings from other studies. The prevalence of non-melanoma skin cancers was significantly higher than in the general Norwegian population as they were reported by The Cancer Registry of Norway.

Targeting perivascular and epicardial adipose tissue inflammation: therapeutic opportunities for cardiovascular disease

Major shifts in human lifestyle and dietary habits toward sedentary behavior and refined food intake triggered steep increase in the incidence of metabolic disorders including obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Patients with metabolic disease are at a high risk of cardiovascular complications ranging from microvascular dysfunction to cardiometabolic syndromes including heart failure. Despite significant advances in the standards of care for obese and diabetic patients, current therapeutic approaches are not always successful in averting the accompanying cardiovascular deterioration. There is a strong relationship between adipose inflammation seen in metabolic disorders and detrimental changes in cardiovascular structure and function. The particular importance of epicardial and perivascular adipose pools emerged as main modulators of the physiology or pathology of heart and blood vessels. Here, we review the peculiarities of these two fat depots in terms of their origin, function, and pathological changes during metabolic deterioration. We highlight the rationale for pharmacological targeting of the perivascular and epicardial adipose tissue or associated signaling pathways as potential disease modifying approaches in cardiometabolic syndromes.

Type-I interferons in atherosclerosis

Chen et al. review the effects of type-I IFNs and the potential of anti–type-I IFN therapies in atherosclerosis.

The contribution of dyslipidemia and inflammation in atherosclerosis is well established. Along with effective lipid-lowering treatments, the recent success of clinical trials with anti-inflammatory therapies and the accelerated atherosclerosis in many autoimmune diseases suggest that targeting inflammation may open new avenues for the prevention and the treatment for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). In the past decades, studies have widened the role of type-I interferons (IFNs) in disease, from antivirus defense to autoimmune responses and immuno-metabolic syndromes. While elevated type-I IFN level in serum is associated with CVD incidence in patients with interferonopathies, experimental data have attested that type-I IFNs affect plaque-residing macrophages, potentiate foam cell and extracellular trap formation, induce endothelial dysfunction, alter the phenotypes of dendritic cells and T and B lymphocytes, and lead to exacerbated atherosclerosis outcomes. In this review, we discuss the production and the effects of type-I IFNs in different atherosclerosis-associated cell types from molecular biology studies, animal models, and clinical observations, and the potential of new therapies against type-I IFN signaling for atherosclerosis.

Disparities in management and outcomes of myocardial infarction in multiple sclerosis: A matched cohort study

Background:

Although multiple sclerosis (MS) confers an elevated risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), little is known about how it influences management of AMI.

Methods:

Using population-based administrative (health) data from two Canadian provinces, we conducted a retrospective matched cohort study. We identified people with MS who had an incident AMI, and up to five AMI controls without MS matched on age, sex, and region. We compared the likelihood of undergoing cardiac catheterization within 30 days of AMI, time to revascularization, use of recommended pharmacotherapy post-AMI, and mortality at 30 and 365 days post-AMI using multivariable regression models adjusting for potential confounders. We pooled findings across provinces using meta-analysis.

Results:

We identified 559 MS cases and 2523 matched controls. In the matched cohort, the MS cohort was less likely to undergo cardiac catheterization within 30 days of admission (odds ratio (OR) = 0.61; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.49–0.77), revascularization (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.69–0.88), or to fill a prescription for recommended therapy. Mortality risk was higher in the MS cohort than in the matched cohort at 30 and 365 days post-AMI.

Conclusion:

Rates of diagnostic and therapeutic care, and survival after AMI were lower in the MS population than in a matched population.