Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26341868›Full record

ArticleNeurology2015

The 2D:4D ratio, a proxy for prenatal androgen levels, differs in men with and without MS.

Riley Bove, Muhammed T Malik, Camilo Diaz-Cruz, Alicia Chua, Taylor J Saraceno, David Bargiela, Emily Greeke, Bonnie I Glanz, Brian C Healy, Tanuja Chitnis

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Neurology, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed
1.4field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed, 19 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. The 2D:4D Digit Ratio and Primary Sjögren's Syndrome: A Window Into Prenatal Hormonal Influences on Exocrine Autoimmunity.American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. What Can We Learn from Sex Differences in MS?Journal of personalized medicine · 2021
    Article
  6. SeXX Matters in Multiple Sclerosis.Frontiers in neurology · 2020
    Review
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Distinct effects of obesity and puberty on risk and age at onset of pediatric MS.Annals of clinical and translational neurology · 2016
    Article
  11. Autoimmune Hashimoto's Disease and Feminization Level-TestingEvolutionary psychology : an international journal of evolutionary approaches to psychology and behavior
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Riley BoveFrom the Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center (R.B., M.T.M., C.D.-C., A.C., T.J.S., D.B., E.G., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Brookline; Harvard Medical School (R.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Boston; Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases (R.B., D.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Harvard Medical School, Boston; and Massachusetts General Hospital Biostatistics Center (B.C.H.), Boston, MA.
Muhammed T MalikFrom the Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center (R.B., M.T.M., C.D.-C., A.C., T.J.S., D.B., E.G., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Brookline; Harvard Medical School (R.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Boston; Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases (R.B., D.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Harvard Medical School, Boston; and Massachusetts General Hospital Biostatistics Center (B.C.H.), Boston, MA.
Camilo Diaz-CruzFrom the Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center (R.B., M.T.M., C.D.-C., A.C., T.J.S., D.B., E.G., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Brookline; Harvard Medical School (R.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Boston; Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases (R.B., D.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Harvard Medical School, Boston; and Massachusetts General Hospital Biostatistics Center (B.C.H.), Boston, MA.
Alicia ChuaFrom the Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center (R.B., M.T.M., C.D.-C., A.C., T.J.S., D.B., E.G., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Brookline; Harvard Medical School (R.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Boston; Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases (R.B., D.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Harvard Medical School, Boston; and Massachusetts General Hospital Biostatistics Center (B.C.H.), Boston, MA.
Taylor J SaracenoFrom the Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center (R.B., M.T.M., C.D.-C., A.C., T.J.S., D.B., E.G., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Brookline; Harvard Medical School (R.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Boston; Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases (R.B., D.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Harvard Medical School, Boston; and Massachusetts General Hospital Biostatistics Center (B.C.H.), Boston, MA.
David BargielaFrom the Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center (R.B., M.T.M., C.D.-C., A.C., T.J.S., D.B., E.G., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Brookline; Harvard Medical School (R.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Boston; Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases (R.B., D.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Harvard Medical School, Boston; and Massachusetts General Hospital Biostatistics Center (B.C.H.), Boston, MA.
Emily GreekeFrom the Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center (R.B., M.T.M., C.D.-C., A.C., T.J.S., D.B., E.G., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Brookline; Harvard Medical School (R.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Boston; Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases (R.B., D.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Harvard Medical School, Boston; and Massachusetts General Hospital Biostatistics Center (B.C.H.), Boston, MA.
Bonnie I GlanzFrom the Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center (R.B., M.T.M., C.D.-C., A.C., T.J.S., D.B., E.G., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Brookline; Harvard Medical School (R.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Boston; Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases (R.B., D.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Harvard Medical School, Boston; and Massachusetts General Hospital Biostatistics Center (B.C.H.), Boston, MA.
Brian C HealyFrom the Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center (R.B., M.T.M., C.D.-C., A.C., T.J.S., D.B., E.G., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Brookline; Harvard Medical School (R.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Boston; Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases (R.B., D.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Harvard Medical School, Boston; and Massachusetts General Hospital Biostatistics Center (B.C.H.), Boston, MA.
Tanuja ChitnisFrom the Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center (R.B., M.T.M., C.D.-C., A.C., T.J.S., D.B., E.G., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Brookline; Harvard Medical School (R.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Boston; Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases (R.B., D.B., B.I.G., B.C.H., T.C.), Harvard Medical School, Boston; and Massachusetts General Hospital Biostatistics Center (B.C.H.), Boston, MA. tchitnis@partners.org.
Harvard University · US

Funding

Hormones/Genes in Women's Health: From Bench to BedsideK12HD051959 · NICHD · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · PI GOLDSTEIN, JILL M, REXRODE, KATHRYN M · 2005 to 2023
$8.8M
NICHD NIH HHS K12 HD051959
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo determine whether the 2D:4D ratio (ratio of the second and fourth digit lengths), a proxy for lower prenatal androgen to estrogen ratio, differs in men with and without multiple sclerosis (MS) using a case-control study design.

methodsWe obtained 2 digital scans of the right hand for men with MS presenting to a scheduled clinic visit at a large MS referral center, and for men without autoimmune or endocrine diseases. All individuals were aged 18 to 65 years, right-handed, and reported no prior digit trauma. We calculated a mean 2D:4D ratio using digital calipers. In participants with MS, we assessed age at first MS symptoms, MS type, and the MS Severity Score; 51 had provided a testosterone level within 10 years of symptom onset. Our primary analysis was a cross-sectional comparison of the 2D:4D ratio between men with and without MS, using a 2-sample t test for independent samples assuming unequal variance.

resultsIn total, we scanned 137 men with MS and 145 men without MS. A statistically significant association between 2D:4D ratio and MS status was observed in the univariate logistic regression model (p<0.05). These differences were not associated with age or race, which differed between the 2 groups. In participants with MS, the 2D:4D ratio was not correlated with MS type, age at first symptoms, or MS Severity Score (p>0.15 for each), and it was not correlated with adult testosterone levels (r=0.06, p=0.68, n=51).

conclusionsDuring the prenatal period, low androgens could represent a risk factor for MS.

Indexed as

Sex CharacteristicsAdultAgedAge FactorsAndrogensCase-Control StudiesCross-Sectional StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedMultiple SclerosisAndrogens

Identifiers

PMID26341868
PMCPMC4607599
OpenAlexW1873073663

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.