Vitamin D Deficiency May Play Role in MS Risk

Vitamin D deficiency might be a risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS), according to the findings of a recent study.

In their prospective case-control study, the researchers identified 1092 women diagnosed with MS who were involved in the Finnish Maternity Cohort (FMC) by linking participants to hospital and prescription registries. The women had at least 1 serum sample collected prior to being diagnosed with MS, and 511 women had 2 or more serum samples available for analysis. Levels of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) were measured in the serum samples of women with MS and 2123 matched controls. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate the relative risk for developing MS.
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The researchers found that women with 25(OH)D levels below 30 nmol/L had a 43% higher risk of developing MS compared with women who had levels of 50 nmol/L or higher. In addition, analyses of women who had 2 or more serum samples showed that the risk for developing MS was 2-fold higher for women with 25(OH)D levels below 30 nmol/L compared with women with levels of 50 nmol/L or higher.

Furthermore, a 50 nmol/L increase in 25(OH)D levels was associated with a 39% reduction in the risk for developing MS.

“These results directly support vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for MS and strengthen the rationale for broad public health interventions to improve vitamin D levels,” the researchers concluded.

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Munger KL, Hongell K, Åivo J, Soilu-Hänninen M, Surcel HM, Ascherio A. 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency and risk of MS among women in the Finnish Maternity Cohort [published online before print September 13, 2017]. Neurology. http:/​/​dx.​doi.​org/​10.​1212/​WNL.​0000000000004489.