@article {Chaudhuri309, author = {Abhijit Chaudhuri and Leslie J. Findley and Peter O Behan}, title = {Can Trauma Provoke Multiple Sclerosis?}, volume = {2}, number = {5}, pages = {309--310}, year = {2002}, doi = {10.1046/j.1474-7766.2002.00092.x}, publisher = {BMJ Publishing Group Ltd}, abstract = {Colin Mumford{\textquoteright}s article was timely (Mumford 2002). However, he errs in advising {\textquoteleft}more weight should be placed on the best epidemiological data{\textquoteright}, as this comes from really only one prospective study. In this, Sibley and colleagues studied the effects of non-specific physical trauma {\textendash} rather than CNS-specific trauma {\textendash} such as suturing of lacerations, removal of skin lesions, uterine dilatation, endoscopic procedures, fractures, sprains, burns, head injuries and abrasions (Sibley et al. 1991). It is hardly surprising that removing a thorn had no effect on the course of MS! Whiplash injury did not feature in this study. The method by which controls were selected was not described, there was a high drop-out rate, and the study lasted only 5.2 years and not 8 years as reported. All patients with MS had established disability, where exacerbations caused by specific focal trauma might have been difficult to assess. With at least eight comparisons among}, issn = {1474-7758}, URL = {https://pn.bmj.com/content/2/5/309}, eprint = {https://pn.bmj.com/content/2/5/309.full.pdf}, journal = {Practical Neurology} }