COPENHAGEN—Higher sodium levels are associated with increased clinical and radiologic disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to study findings presented at the 29th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS).
Because salt has been recently reported to promote the differentiation of pathogenic T cells and worsen disease in an experimental model of MS, investigators sought to determine the relationship between salt consumption and MS disease clinical and radiologic activity.
Mauricio F. Farez, MD, from the Department of Neurology, Institute for Neurological Research Dr Raúl Carrea, Foundation Against Neurological Disease in childhood (FLENI), Buenos Aires, and colleagues measured sodium intake using urine samples from a cohort of 70 patients with relapsing-remitting MS who were followed for two years. During the follow-up, clinical and radiologic assessments were performed every three to six months or in the event of a relapse. The effect of sodium intake on MS disease activity was estimated by regression analysis.
The researchers found a positive correlation between exacerbation rates and sodium intake in a multivariate model adjusted for age, gender, disease duration, smoking status, vitamin D levels, BMI, and treatment. They found an exacerbation rate of 2.75 and 3.95 times higher in patients with medium and high sodium intake, respectively, when compared with the low intake group. In addition, individuals with high sodium intake had 3.4 times greater odds of developing a new lesion on MRI and, on average, had eight more T2 lesions on MRI.
—Glenn S. Williams
Vice President/Group Editor