The socioeconomic disparity increases retinal neurodegeneration in patients MS, according to a study published in Brain. Investigators are determined whether socioeconomic status (SES) correlated with disease progression in MS and whether disease management or comorbidity mediated observed SES-related effects among participants for whom SES indicators, including neighborhood-level indicators and participant-level indicators, were available within 3 years or less of symptom onset. More disadvantaged neighborhood-level and patient-level SES indicators correlated with faster retinal atrophy. Differences in the rate of ganglion cell+inner plexiform layer atrophy for individuals in the most disadvantaged quartile versus the least disadvantaged quartile were -0.12µm/year faster for state area deprivation indices (ADI), -0.08µm/ year faster for national ADI, -0.11µm/year faster for household income, -0.12µm/year faster for Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality SES Index, and -0.17µm/year faster for education level, with similar correlations seen for SES indicators and low-contrast letter acuity loss. Lower SES was also tied to increased risk for incident comorbidity during follow-up and higher rates of therapy escalation.
