Table 5. Phenotypic comparison of STAT3 mutation carriers vs. non-carriers among MS patients.

	Any mutation (n = 26)	No mutation (n = 68)	Univariate p-value	Multivariate p-value	missing data (n)
Females (n)	18 (69%)	50 (74%)	0.80	0.165	-
Age at exam (median)	49 yrs	36 yrs	0.0001	0.019	-
Duration from Dg (months, mean, range)	91 (0–450)	34 (0–288)	0.011	0.75	-
EDSS (mean)	2.5	2.2	0.45	-	-
Use of DMT (n)	10 (38%)	9 (13%)	0.010	0.56	-
BMI (mean, range)	25.8 (20–38)	25.7 (17–37)	0.89	0.80	14
Current smoker (n)	7/23 (30%)	12/65 (18%)	0.25	0.031*	6
Never-smoker	12/23 (52%)	37/65 (57%)	0.80	-	6
MRI (Barkhof at Dg) (mean)	3.6	3.4	0.43	-	-
HLA-DR15 +	12/25 (48%)	33/65 (51%)	1.0	-	4
CSF parameters
OCB positive (n)	26 (100%)	67 (99%)	1.00	-	-
IgG index (mean)	0.98	1.08	0.47	-	12
Leukocytes (mean)	13	9.54	0.37	-	7
Protein (mean)	413	360	0.11	-	7
Blood parameters (mean)
Hemoglobin	138	140	0.65	-	2
Erythrocytes	4.61	4.62	0.92	-	2
Trombocytes	253	283	0.055	-	2
Total leukocytes	6.2	7.4	0.009	-	2
Neutrophiles	3.07	4.09	0.006	0.019	7
Lymphocytes	2.15	2.19	0.82	-	7
Monocytes	0.58	0.61	0.45	-	7
ALAT	24	27	0.49	-	3
ESR	7	6	0.67	-	24
CRP (abnormal, n)	5 (19%)	16 (24%)	1.0	-	4

Fisher’s exact test was used to calculate p-values for categorial variables, students t-test was used for quantitative variables. Dg = diagnosis, EDSS = expanded disability status scale, DMT = disease modifying treatment (any pharmaceutical therapy used to treat MS), BMI = body mass index, ALAT = alanine aminotransferase, ESR = erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP = C-reactive protein. Multivariate analysis was performed by logistic regression; regression analysis included the following variables; sex, age, duration, use of DMT, BMI, current smoking and neutrophils. BMI and smoking were included, because of their possible effect on neutrophil counts.

*In multivariate analysis smoking was dichotomized to current smokers and never-smokers.