Vitamin D Status Linked to Less MS Activity

A new study finds vitamin D status appears to be associated with reduced disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and a slower rate of disease progression.

A team of researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston examined whether blood concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), a marker of vitamin D status, was connected with MS disease activity and progression in patients with a first episode suggestive of MS.
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Investigators measured blood 25[OH]D levels as part of a randomized trial designed to study patients given interferon beta-1b treatment. In total, 465 of the 468 enrolled patients had at least one 25[OD]D measurement, and patients were followed for up to 5 years with magnetic resonance imaging.

According to study authors, increases of 50-nmol/L in average blood 25[OH]D levels within the first 12 months appeared to be associated with a 57 percent lower risk of new active brain lesions. In addition, researchers found a 57 percent lower risk of relapse, a 25 percent lower yearly increase in T2 lesion volume and a 0.41 percent lower yearly loss in brain volume from months 12 to 60.

The authors note that low 25[OH]D levels early in the disease course are a strong risk factor for long-term MS activity and progression among patients with MS treated mainly with interferon beta-1b. For primary care practitioners, these results “suggest that it is important to check the blood levels of vitamin D in patients with MS,” says Alberto Ascherio, MD, DrPH, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, and lead study author.

Primary care physicians should also provide oral vitamin D 3 supplements to patients among this group who are vitamin D insufficient, or at least those at levels of <50 nmol/L or 20 ng/dL, adds Ascherio.

—Mark McGraw Reference Ascherio A, Munger K, et al. Vitamin D as an Early Predictor of Multiple Sclerosis Activity and Progression. JAMA Neurology. 2014. .