Is serum vitamin D levels associated with disability in patients with newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis?
Hatamian، Hamidreza نويسنده Department of Neurology, Poursina Hospital, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, IR Iran , , Bidabadi، Elham نويسنده Assistant Professor of Pediatric Neurology, Guilan University of Medical Sciences,Guilan,Iran , , Seyed Saadat، Seyed Mohammad نويسنده School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran. Seyed Saadat, Seyed Mohammad , Saadat، Niloufar Seyed نويسنده Medical Student, Medical Student Research Committee, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran Saadat, Niloufar Seyed , Kazemnezhad، Ehsan نويسنده Department of Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran. Kazemnezhad, Ehsan , Ramezani، Hamed نويسنده Resident, Department of Neurology, Poursina Hospital, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran Ramezani, Hamed , Bakhshayesh، Babak نويسنده Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Poursina Hospital, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran. Bakhshayesh, Babak
Background: Although the precise etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) is unknown, it seems that both genetic and environmental factors are important. Recent studies suggest that low serum vitamin D levels are important environmental factor in MS. The aim of this study was to compare the serum levels of vitamin D between MS patients and healthy subjects, and to determine its association with disability in MS patients.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 52 patients with MS were randomly recruited and matched for age and sex with 52 healthy subjects. Demographic characteristics and serum vitamin D levels for both groups, as well as duration of disease Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) for MS patients were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed by independent samples t-test and multiple linear regression analysis.
Results: The mean serum vitamin D levels were 26.5 ± 16.3 ng/ml in MS patients vs. 37.1 ±19.7 in healthy subjects (P = 0.003). A linear regression analysis showed no significant association between vitamin D levels and EDSS score of patients with MS (P = 0.345), after adjusting for the covariates.
Conclusion:Our findings did not suggest a protective association for serum vitamin D levels against disability in MS patients.