Lifestyle risk factors contribute to accelerated central brain atrophy in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), whereas unhealthier diet is associated with MS lesion accrual, a recent study found. 175 MS or clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) patients and 42 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled and longitudinally followed for 5.5 years. The 20-year cardiovascular disease risk was calculated by Healthy Heart Score (HHS) prediction model, which includes age, smoking, body mass index, dietary intake, exercise, and alcohol consumption. Baseline and follow-up MRI scans were obtained and cross-sectional and longitudinal changes of T2-lesion volume (LV), whole brain volume (WBV), white matter volume (WMV), gray matter volume (GMV), and lateral ventricular volume (LVV) were calculated. Researchers found:
- After correcting for disease duration, the baseline HHS values of the MS group were associated with baseline GMV, and longitudinal LVV change.
- The association with LVV remained significant after adjusting for baseline LVV volumes in MS patients.
- The diet component of the HHS was associated with the 5-year T2-LV accrual in MS.
- In the HC group, the HHS was associated with LVV, GMV, WBV, T2-LV, and WMV.
Jakimovski D, Weinstock-Guttman B, Gandhi S, et al. Dietary and lifestyle factors in multiple sclerosis progression: Results from a 5-year longitudinal MRI study. [Published online ahead of print February 13, 2019]. J Neurol . doi:10.1007/s00415-019-09208-0.