Non-white cases of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: A 28 year review of United Kingdom National Surveillance Data

Aims: Descriptions of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) in non-White populations are limited. Improved understanding may aid diagnoses and case ascertainment within surveillance programmes. We aimed to: 1) Ascertain the proportion of sCJD cases with non-White ethnicity in the United Kingdom (UK); 2) Compare clinical and investigation findings between non-White and White cases. Methods: We analysed records of probable and definite sCJD cases assessed by the UK National CJD Research and Surveillance Unit over 28 years (1990-2017). Cases were stratified into White and non-White groups. Demographics, clinical features, investigation findings, and post-mortem numbers were compared. Results: 1697 sCJD cases were included: 1642 (97%) White, 55 (3%) non-White (Asian/Asian British, Black/African/Caribbean). The proportion of non-Whites among sCJD cases is 7% lower than the proportion the non-White population make up in the UK (p < 0.001). This was not statistically significant when age-matched by >= 60 years (p = 0.071). Age at symptom onset was 4 years lower in the non-White population (p = 0.007). Clinical and investigation characteristics were otherwise similar between ethnic groupings. The proportion of non-Whites undergoing autopsy and classification as definite was 30% and 24% lower (p < 0.001) respectively in comparison to those for White cases. Conclusions: Approximately 3% of sCJD cases in the UK are non-White, despite non-Whites representing approximately 10% of the UK population. This difference was not statistically significant when age-matched at >= 60 years. Non-White cases tend to be younger and likelihood of autopsy is lower; relevant considerations for surveillance programmes. Reasons for these differences in non-White populations are unclear and merit further evaluation.

Automated summary

Approximately 3% of sCJD cases in the UK are non-White, despite non-Whites representing approximately 10% of the UK population. Non-White cases tend to be younger and have a lower likelihood of undergoing autopsy. The reasons for these differences in non-White populations are unclear and warrant further evaluation.