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Vitamin D and disability in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis in patients with a Mexican background

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Abstract

Previous studies of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have reported an inverse correlation between disability, the number of relapses and vitamin D levels in mostly white patients. It is unclear if this relationship has the same behavior in individuals with Hispanic backgrounds. To determine the relationship between vitamin D serum levels and disability in a sample of Hispanics of a Mexican background with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). A cross-sectional study was conducted on 50 RRMS individuals of Mexican background. The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score, progression index (PI) and annual relapse rate (ARR) were recorded for each patient. Vitamin D levels were assessed during the summer. Pearson’s test was used to evaluate the relationship between vitamin D and EDSS, PI, ARR, and duration of disease evolution. Most patients were females (n = 29, 58%). The mean vitamin D level was 22.3 (± 6.4) ng/ml; the mean EDSS score was 2.2 (± 0.7), ARR 1.3 (± 0.5) and PI1.08 (± 0.6). No correlation was found between vitamin D levels and EDSS scores, ARR, PI or duration of disease. Moderate negative association between vitamin D levels and EDSS was found just in females (<0.0001). No correlation between vitamin D levels and disability was found in this sample of RRMS Mexicans. Longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the impact of Vitamin D in disability and multiple time points.

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Funding

This study was supported by the Department of Investigation of National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Nacional de Neurologia y Neurocirugia Manuel Velasco Suarez, Mexico City, Mexico

    Yamel Rito, Jesus Flores, Angeles Fernández-Aguilar, Carmen Escalante-Membrillo, Miguel A. Barboza & Teresa Corona

  2. MS Comprehensive Care Center, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, USA

    Lilyana Amezcua

Authors
  1. Yamel Rito
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  2. Jesus Flores
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  3. Angeles Fernández-Aguilar
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  4. Carmen Escalante-Membrillo
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  5. Miguel A. Barboza
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  6. Lilyana Amezcua
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  7. Teresa Corona
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Correspondence to Teresa Corona.

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The authors report that there are no conflicts of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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All patients did provide informed consent before being included in this study.

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Rito, Y., Flores, J., Fernández-Aguilar, A. et al. Vitamin D and disability in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis in patients with a Mexican background. Acta Neurol Belg 118, 47–52 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13760-017-0834-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13760-017-0834-3

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