Pre-DMT Vitamin D Levels Influence MS Disease Activity and Onset, study finds

For this purpose, the researchers tested the association between seasonally adjusted VitD and disease activity in 230 untreated relapsing-remitting MS patients who also underwent serum 25-OH-vitamin-D measurement.

Using a polygenic risk score derived from a genome-wide association study involving approximately 400,000 individuals, the researchers investigated how genetic predisposition to higher Vitamin D levels impacts NEDA-3 status in a cohort of 1,408 independent patients with MS. We employed two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to evaluate causality.

The study led to the following findings:

• Lower baseline VitD was associated with a decreased probability of NEDA-3 at two years.
• VitD levels <20 ng/mL conferred an over twofold risk of disease activity (OR 2.36).
• Genetic predisposition to higher VitD levels was associated with delayed age at MS onset and a higher probability of NEDA-3 status.
• MR confirmed causality between VitD and the risk of disease activity.

Vitamin D levels before starting treatment were tied to subsequent multiple sclerosis disease activity. Genetic predisposition to higher vitamin D levels confers a lower disease activity risk and is tied to delayed MS onset," the researchers wrote.

"Our research underscores the need for future prospective studies on Vitamin D supplementation and lifestyle interventions aimed at mitigating disease activity in MS," they concluded.

Reference:

Giordano A, Clarelli F, Pignolet B, et al. Vitamin D affects the risk of disease activity in multiple sclerosis. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry Published Online First: 14 July 2024. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2024-334062