Table 1.

Baseline characteristics of patient and control participants

	MS Patients	Control Group	P
Gender n (%)
Female	124 (71.7)	109 (71.2)	NS
Male	49 (28.3)	44 (28.8)
Age (years) mean ± SD	37.5 ± 10.7	36.9 ± 8.9	NS
Education (years) mean ± SD	13.9 ± 7.3	15.4 ± 8.8	NS
Employment n (%)
Employed	41 (23.7)	59 (39.1)	0.008
Unemployment or not working due to MS	45 (26)	20 (13.2)	0.024
Not working by choice/housewife/retired	71 (39.7)	58 (38.4)	NS
Student	16 (9.2)	14 (9.3)	NS
Disease duration (years), mean ± SD	9.2 ± 6.1	–	–
EDSS score, mean ± SD	2.4 ± 1.7	–	–

NS not significant, SD standard deviation, EDSS expanded disability status scale