Metagenomics of the Gut Microbiome in Parkinson's Disease: Prodromal Changes.

OBJECTIVE: Prior studies on the gut microbiome in Parkinson's disease (PD) have yielded conflicting results, and few studies have focused on prodromal (premotor) PD or used shotgun metagenomic profiling to assess microbial functional potential. We conducted a nested case-control study within 2 large epidemiological cohorts to examine the role of the gut microbiome in PD. METHODS: We profiled the fecal metagenomes of 420 participants in the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study with recent onset PD (N = 75), with features of prodromal PD (N = 101), controls with constipation (N = 113), and healthy controls (N = 131) to identify microbial taxonomic and functional features associated with PD and features suggestive of prodromal PD. Omnibus and feature-wise analyses identified bacterial species and pathways associated with prodromal and recently onset PD. RESULTS: We observed depletion of several strict anaerobes associated with reduced inflammation among participants with PD or features of prodromal PD. A microbiome-based classifier had moderate accuracy (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.76 for species and 0.74 for pathways) to discriminate between recently onset PD cases and controls. These taxonomic shifts corresponded with functional shifts indicative of carbohydrate source preference. Similar, but less marked, changes were observed in participants with features of prodromal PD, in both microbial features and functions. INTERPRETATION: PD and features of prodromal PD were associated with similar changes in the gut microbiome. These findings suggest that changes in the microbiome could represent novel biomarkers for the earliest phases of PD. ANN NEUROL 2023;94:486-501.

Flavonoid intake and risk of Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Flavonoids have been proposed to reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, results from epidemiological studies have been inconclusive. OBJECTIVE: To prospectively examine the association between the intake of flavonoids and their subclasses and the risk of PD and how pesticides may confound or modify that association. METHODS: The study population comprised 80 701 women (1984-2016) and 48 782 men (1986-2016) from two large US cohorts. Flavonoid intake was ascertained at baseline and every 4 years thereafter using a semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire. We conducted multivariable-adjusted Cox regression models to estimate HRs and 95% CIs of PD according to quintiles of baseline and cumulative average intakes of flavonoids and subclasses. We repeated the analyses, adjusting for intakes of high-pesticide-residue fruits and vegetables (FVs) and stratifying by servings/day of high-pesticide-residue FV intake. RESULTS: We identified 676 incident PD cases in women and 714 in men after 30-32 years of follow-up. Higher total flavonoid intake at baseline was not associated with a lower PD risk, neither in men (HR comparing highest to lowest quintile: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.69 to 1.14) nor in women (HR comparing highest to lowest quintile: 1.27, 95% CI: 0.98 to 1.64). Similar results were observed for cumulative average intakes and flavonoid subclasses. Results remained similar after adjustment for and stratification by high-pesticide-residue FV and when analyses were restricted to younger PD cases. CONCLUSION: These results do not support a protective effect of flavonoid intake on PD risk. Pesticide residues do not confound or modify the association.

Childbirth delivery mode and the risk of multiple sclerosis: a prospective population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Caesarean section (CS) may affect the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) in the offspring, possibly through changes in gut microbiota composition, but findings from previous studies are inconsistent. We investigated whether birth by CS was associated with the risk of adult-onset MS. METHODS: We conducted a prospective population-based cohort study, including all individuals born in Norway between 1967 and 2003, using the Medical Birth Registry of Norway linked with the Norwegian Multiple Sclerosis Registry and Biobank. The follow-up was until 2021. We used multivariable Cox models to estimate HRs for MS risk with 95% CIs. RESULTS: Among 2 046 637 individuals in the cohort, 4954 MS cases were identified. Being born by CS was associated with a modest increase in MS risk (HR=1.18, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.32). In the sibling-matched analysis, we found no association between CS and MS risk. We found an interaction between CS and gestational age (p=0.03): CS was associated with an increased risk of MS in individuals born preterm (HR=1.62, 95% CI 1.18 to 2.24), whereas there was no association in individuals born at term (HR=1.13, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.27). In a subgroup analysis of individuals born in 1988 and onwards, emergency CS was related to an elevated MS risk (HR=1.40, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.83), whereas planned CS was not (HR: 1.10, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.58). CONCLUSIONS: CS was associated with a modestly higher risk of developing MS. However, the stronger associations seen in subgroups who likely experienced a more complicated pregnancy/delivery may point to confounding underlying these associations.

Subjective Cognitive Decline in Women with Features Suggestive of Prodromal Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive deficits can be present in the prodromal phase of Parkinson's disease (PD). Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) may contribute to identifying individuals with prodromal PD. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine whether SCD is more likely to be present in women with features suggestive of prodromal PD compared with women without these features. METHODS: The study population comprised 12,427 women from the Nurses' Health Study selected to investigate prodromal PD. Prodromal and risk markers of PD were assessed via self-administered questionnaires. We evaluated the association of hyposmia, constipation, and probable rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, three major features of prodromal PD, with SCD, adjusting for age, education, body mass index, physical activity, smoking, alcohol, caffeine intake, and depression. We also explored whether SCD was associated with the probability of prodromal PD and conducted additional analyses using data from neurocognitive tests. RESULTS: Women experiencing the three examined nonmotor features had the worst mean SCD score and the highest odds of poor subjective cognition (odds ratio [OR] = 1.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29-2.47). This association persisted when women with objective cognitive deficits were excluded from analyses. SCD was also more common in women with a probability of prodromal PD ≥0.80, particularly among those aged younger than 75 years (OR of poor subjective cognition = 6.57 [95% CI, 2.43-17.77]). These observations were consistent with the results from analyses using neurocognitive tests, where a worse global cognitive performance was observed among women with three features. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that self-perceived cognitive decline can be present during the prodromal phase of PD. © 2023 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Long-Term Intake of Folate, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12 and the Incidence of Parkinson's Disease in a Sample of U.S. Women and Men.

BACKGROUND: Folate and vitamins B6 and B12 have been proposed as protective against the development of Parkinson's disease (PD). Two prior longitudinal studies were inconclusive. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to examine the association of long-term intake of folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 with the incidence of PD. METHODS: The study population comprised 80,965 women (Nurses' Health Study, 1984-2016) and 48,837 men (Health Professionals Follow-up Study, 1986-2016) followed prospectively for the development of PD. Intake of B vitamins was measured at baseline and every 4 years thereafter using food frequency questionnaires. We estimated the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of PD based on quintiles of cumulative average intake adjusting for potential confounders. Secondary analyses considered different lagged exposure periods as well as baseline and recent intakes. RESULTS: In separate analyses of cumulative average intake, total folate, B6, and B12 were not associated with the risk of PD. Results from 8-, 12-, and 16-year lag analyses were consistent with these findings. Results for baseline intake of folate and B6 also pointed toward a null association. In contrast, a lower PD risk was observed among individuals with higher baseline total intake of B12 (pooled HR top vs. bottom quintile: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.67-0.95; P-trend = 0.01); results from 20-year lag analyses were consistent with this finding. CONCLUSIONS: Our results do not support the hypothesis that a higher intake of folate or vitamin B6 would reduce PD risk in this population. Our results provide moderate support for a possible protective effect of vitamin B12 on the development of PD. © 2023 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Aging with multiple sclerosis: A longitudinal study of physical function, mental health, and memory in two cohorts of US women.

BACKGROUND: It is unknown how individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) age compared to unaffected peers. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study is to describe the impact of MS on health and functioning in aging women. METHODS: We used 10-item Physical Functioning Scale (PF10) scores (from the Short Form-36 (SF-36)) and other indicators of general, physical, mental health, and memory collected repeatedly over 25 years with self-administered questionnaires among participants in the Nurses' Health Study (n = 121,700 recruited at ages 30-55) and Nurses' Health Study II (n = 116,429 recruited at ages 25-42) to compare women with MS (n = 733) to unaffected peers in their health and disability, and describe/quantify the burden of aging with MS. RESULTS: Women with MS had a consistently lower PF10 by 0.9-1.7 standard deviations with greater overall variability than unaffected women. PF10-scores gradually decreased with increasing age in both groups, but MS cases declined 3-4 times faster in midlife, while decline was similar in old age. The physical function score of 45-year-old women with MS was comparable to that of 75-year-old unaffected women; 70-year-old women with MS scored similarly to 85-year-old unaffected women. MS cases also reported worse health/more disability throughout adulthood on the other indicators. CONCLUSION: The age-related decline in physical health is accelerated by 15-30 years in MS patients compared to unaffected peers.

Intake of carbohydrates and SFA and risk of CHD in middle-age adults: the Hordaland Health Study (HUSK).

OBJECTIVE: Limiting SFA intake may minimise the risk of CHD. However, such reduction often leads to increased intake of carbohydrates. We aimed to evaluate associations and the interplay of carbohydrate and SFA intake on CHD risk. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: We followed participants in the Hordaland Health Study, Norway from 1997-1999 through 2009. Information on carbohydrate and SFA intake was obtained from a FFQ and analysed as continuous and categorical (quartiles) variables. Multivariable Cox regression estimated hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % CI. Theoretical substitution analyses modelled the substitution of carbohydrates with other nutrients. CHD was defined as fatal or non-fatal CHD (ICD9 codes 410-414 and ICD10 codes I20-I25). PARTICIPANTS: 2995 men and women, aged 46-49 years. RESULTS: Adjusting for age, sex, energy intake, physical activity and smoking, SFA was associated with lower risk (HRQ4 v. Q1 0·44, 95 % CI 0·26, 0·76, Ptrend = 0·002). For carbohydrates, the opposite pattern was observed (HRQ4 v. Q1 2·10, 95 % CI 1·22, 3·63, Ptrend = 0·003). SFA from cheese was associated with lower CHD risk (HRQ4 v. Q1 0·44, 95 % CI 0·24, 0·83, Ptrend = 0·006), while there were no associations between SFA from other food items and CHD. A 5 E% substitution of carbohydrates with total fat, but not SFA, was associated with lower CHD risk (HR 0·75, 95 % CI 0·62, 0·90). CONCLUSIONS: Higher intake of predominantly high glycaemic carbohydrates and lower intake of SFA, specifically lower intake from cheese, were associated with higher CHD risk. Substituting carbohydrates with total fat, but not SFA, was associated with significantly lower risk of CHD.

Ultra-processed food consumption during childhood and asthma in adolescence: Data from the 2004 Pelotas birth cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Diet has been of interest for asthma; however, it remains unknown whether the consumption of ultra-processed food (UPF) increases the risk of the disease. Our objective was to investigate whether UPF consumption during childhood was associated with wheeze, asthma, and severe asthma in adolescence. METHODS: We included 2190 11-year-old children from the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study, without asthma at the age of 6 years. Consumption of UPF was assessed by Food Frequency Questionnaires at 6- and 11-year follow-ups. Wheeze, asthma, and severe asthma data were assessed at 11-year follow-up. We classified foods according to the processing degree in ultra-processed food. We used logistic regression to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), for the association between UPF consumption and the asthma outcomes. RESULTS: Cumulative incidence of wheeze and asthma between 6 and 11 years was 12.7% and 23.2%, respectively. In prospective analyses, comparing children in the highest and the lowest quintile of UPF consumption at age 6, we found no association with wheeze (OR = 0.85; 95% CI = 0.54-1.34), asthma (OR = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.58-1.21), or severe asthma (OR = 1.12; 95% CI = 0.62-2.03) in early adolescence. In cross-sectional analyses, comparing adolescents in the highest and lowest quintile of UPF consumption at 11 years, we found no association with wheeze (OR = 1.12; 95% CI = 0.72-1.75), asthma (OR = 1.00; 95% CI = 0.7-1.44), or severe asthma (OR = 1.05; 95% CI = 0.59-1.86). CONCLUSION: Our study provided evidence that UPF consumption during childhood or adolescence is not associated with asthma or wheeze among adolescents.

Liver injury with drugs used for multiple sclerosis: A contemporary analysis of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System.

BACKGROUND: Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) has been observed in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), raising concerns on the liver safety of MS drugs. OBJECTIVE: To describe DILI events with MS drugs by analyzing the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System. METHODS: DILI reports were extracted and classified in overall liver injury (OLI), including asymptomatic elevation of liver enzymes, and severe liver injury (SLI). We performed disproportionality analysis by calculating adjusted reporting odds ratios (RORs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) and case-by-case evaluation for concomitant drugs with hepatotoxic potential. RESULTS: Fampridine showed statistically significant ROR for both OLI and SLI, whereas teriflunomide and fingolimod generated solid disproportionality (ROR > 2) only for OLI (ROR, 2.31; 95% CI, 2.12-2.52; and 2.53; 2.40-2.66, respectively). Among monoclonal antibodies, only alemtuzumab generated higher-than-expected ROR for OLI (1.34; 1.09-1.65). We also detected the expected hepatotoxic potential of beta interferon and mitoxantrone. Concomitant reporting of hepatotoxic drugs ranged from 26% (dimethyl fumarate) to 90% (mitoxantrone). CONCLUSION: These real-world pharmacovigilance findings suggest that DILI might be a common feature of MS drugs and call for (1) formal population-based study to verify the risk of fampridine and (2) awareness by clinicians, who should assess the possible responsibility of MS drugs when they diagnose DILI.

α-Linolenic acid is associated with MRI activity in a prospective cohort of multiple sclerosis patients.

BACKGROUND: The plant-based ω-3 fatty acid α-linolenic acid (ALA) has been associated with lower MS risk. It is currently unknown whether ALA affects disease activity. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between ALA levels and disease activity. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study including 87 multiple sclerosis (MS)-patients who originally participated in a randomized trial of ω-3 fatty acids (the OFAMS study). We measured serum levels of ALA during follow-up and used random intercept logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between ALA levels, new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) progression and new relapses adjusting for age at inclusion, sex, and use of interferon beta-1a. RESULTS: In continuous (per 1-SD increase) multivariable-adjusted analyses, higher ALA levels were significantly associated with lower odds of new T2-lesions (OR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.37-0.95) during follow-up. The effect estimates were similar for new T1Gd + lesions (OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.48-1.11), EDSS-progression (OR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.34-1.16) and new relapses (OR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.22-1.10), but these estimates did not reach statistical significance. Further adjustment for vitamin D and tobacco use did not materially change the results. CONCLUSION: We found that higher levels of ALA were associated with lower disease activity in MS-patients.

Body size and physical exercise, and the risk of multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Whether large body size increases multiple sclerosis (MS) risk in men is not well understood. Concurrently, physical exercise could be an independent protective factor. OBJECTIVE: To prospectively investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and aerobic fitness, indicators of body size and exercise, and MS risk in men. METHODS: We performed a population-based nested case-control study within the historical cohort of all Norwegian men, born in 1950-1975, undergoing mandatory conscription at the age of 19 years. 1016 cases were identified through linkage to the Norwegian MS registry, while 19,230 controls were randomly selected from the cohort. We estimated the effect of BMI and fitness at conscription on MS risk using Cox regression. RESULTS: Higher BMI (≥25 vs 18.5-<25 kg/m2) was significantly associated with increased MS risk (adjusted relative risk (RRadj) = 1.36, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05-1.76). We also found a significant inverse association between aerobic fitness (high vs low) and MS risk independent of BMI (RRadj = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.55-0.88, p-trend = 0.003), remaining similar when men with MS onset within 10 years from conscription were excluded ( p-trend = 0.03). CONCLUSION: These findings add weight to evidence linking being overweight to an increased MS risk in men. Furthermore, they suggest that exercise may be an additional modifiable protective factor for MS.

Physical activity is associated with a decreased multiple sclerosis risk: The EnvIMS study.

BACKGROUND: The lifestyle factors smoking and obesity have been associated with the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). Physical activity (PA) may also be of importance. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between PA and MS risk in Italy, Norway, and Sweden and to evaluate the possible influence by established risk factors. METHODS: In this case-control study, 1904 cases and 3694 controls were asked to report their average weekly amounts of light and vigorous PA during adolescence on a scale ranging from none to more than 3 hours activity. We used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: Vigorous PA was inversely associated with MS risk in the pooled analysis ( p-trend < 0.001) with an age- and sex-adjusted OR of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.63-0.87) when comparing the highest and lowest levels. Adjusting for outdoor activity, infectious mononucleosis, body size, and smoking yielded similar results. The association was present in all countries and was not affected by exclusion of patients with early disease onset. Light PA was not associated with the risk of MS. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that vigorous PA can modify the risk of developing MS independent of established risk factors.

Diabetes is associated with decreased migraine risk: A nationwide cohort study.

Background Results from studies on diabetes and migraine risk are conflicting, which may be due to methodological limitations. Prospective studies with long follow-up could increase our understanding of the relationship between the two diseases. Method We performed a cohort study including the whole Norwegian population alive on 01.01.2004, using prescriptions registered in the Norwegian prescription database to identify individuals developing type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and migraine during follow-up (10 years). We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate rate ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals for the effect of diabetes on migraine risk, adjusting for age, sex, and educational level. Result We identified 7,883 type 1 diabetes patients and 93,600 type 2 patients during the study period. Type 1 diabetes was significantly associated with a subsequent decreased migraine risk during follow-up in the age- and sex-adjusted analyses (0.74; 0.61-0.89). Type 2 diabetes was also associated with a significantly lower migraine risk (0.89; 0.83-0.95). Further adjustment for educational level yielded similar results for both diabetes. Conclusion Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes were significantly associated with a decreased risk of migraine. This suggests that diabetes or diabetes treatment may have a protective effect on the development of migraine.

Preclinical disease activity in multiple sclerosis: A prospective study of cognitive performance prior to first symptom.

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively investigate potential signs of preclinical multiple sclerosis (MS) activity and when they are present prior to first symptom using data from a historical cohort. METHODS: We linked the cognitive performance of all Norwegian men born 1950-1995 who underwent conscription examination at age 18 to 19 years to the Norwegian MS registry to identify those later developing MS, and randomly selected controls frequency-matched on year of birth from the Norwegian Conscript Service database. In this nested case-control study, cognitive test scores were available for 924 male cases and 19,530 male controls. We estimated mean score differences among cases and controls (Student t test) and the risk of developing MS comparing lower to higher scores (Cox regression) in strata of years to clinical onset. RESULTS: Men developing first clinical MS symptoms up to 2 years after the examination scored significantly lower than controls (Δ = 0.80, p = 0.0095), corresponding to a 6 intelligence quotient (IQ)-point difference. Those scoring lowest, that is, >1 standard deviation below the controls' mean, had an increased MS risk during the 2 following years (relative risk = 2.81, 95% confidence interval = 1.52-5.20). Whereas results were similar for relapsing-remitting MS cases (RRMS), those developing primary-progressive MS (PPMS) scored a significant 4.6 to 6.9 IQ points lower than controls up to 20 years prior to first progressive symptoms. INTERPRETATION: RRMS may start years prior to clinical presentation, and disease processes in PPMS could start decades prior to first apparent progressive symptoms. Cognitive problems could be present in both MS forms before apparent symptoms. Apart from potential implications for clinical practice and research, these findings challenge our thinking about the disease. Ann Neurol 2016;80:616-624.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids and the risk of multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Results from previous studies on polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake and multiple sclerosis (MS) risk are conflicting. OBJECTIVE: To prospectively investigate the association between dietary intake of PUFA and MS risk. METHODS: We followed 80,920 women from Nurses' Health Study (1984-2004) and 94,511 women from Nurses' Health Study II (1991-2009) who reported on diet using a validated food frequency questionnaire every 4 years and identified 479 incident MS cases during follow-up. We used Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), for the effect of PUFA intake on MS risk adjusting for age, latitude of residence at age 15, ancestry, cigarette smoking, supplemental vitamin D intake, body mass index, and total energy intake. RESULTS: Higher intake of total PUFA at baseline was associated with a lower risk of MS (HR top vs bottom quintile: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.49-0.90, p trend = 0.01). Among the specific types of PUFA, only α-linolenic acid (ALA) was inversely associated with MS risk (HR top vs bottom quintile: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.45-0.83, p trend = 0.001). The long-chain fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were not associated with MS risk. CONCLUSION: Low dietary PUFA intake may be another modifiable risk factor for MS.

Negative interaction between smoking and EBV in the risk of multiple sclerosis: The EnvIMS study.

BACKGROUND: Results from previous studies on a possible interaction between smoking and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) are conflicting. OBJECTIVES: To examine the interaction between smoking and infectious mononucleosis (IM) in the risk of MS. METHODS: Within the case-control study on Environmental Factors In Multiple Sclerosis (EnvIMS), 1904 MS patients and 3694 population-based frequency-matched healthy controls from Norway, Italy, and Sweden reported on prior exposure to smoking and history of IM. We examined the interaction between the two exposures on the additive and multiplicative scale. RESULTS: Smoking and IM were each found to be associated with an increased MS risk in all three countries, and there was a negative multiplicative interaction between the two exposures in each country separately as well as in the pooled analysis ( p = 0.001). Among those who reported IM, there was no increased risk associated with smoking (odds ratio (OR): 0.95, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.66-1.37). The direction of the estimated interactions on the additive scale was consistent with a negative interaction in all three countries (relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI): -0.98, 95% CI: -2.05-0.15, p = 0.09). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate competing antagonism, where the two exposures compete to affect the outcome.

Level of education and multiple sclerosis risk over a 50-year period: Registry-based sibling study.

BACKGROUND: The conflicting results from studies on socioeconomic status (SES) and multiple sclerosis (MS) risk might be due to a change in the distribution of environmental exposures over time or to methodological limitations in previous research. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between SES and MS risk during 50 years. METHODS: We included patients registered in Norwegian MS registries and prevalence studies born between 1930 and 1979, and identified their siblings and parents using the Norwegian Population Registry. Information on education was retrieved from the National Education Registry, categorized into four levels (primary, secondary, undergraduate and graduate) and compared in patients and siblings using conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 4494 MS patients and 9193 of their siblings were included in the analyses. Level of education was inversely associated with MS risk ( p trend < 0.001) with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.73 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.59-0.90) when comparing the highest and lowest levels. The effect estimates did not vary markedly between participants born before or after the median year of birth (1958), but we observed a significant effect modification by parental education ( p = 0.047). CONCLUSION: Level of education was inversely associated with MS risk, and the estimates were similar in the earliest and latest birth cohorts.

Level of education and multiple sclerosis risk after adjustment for known risk factors: The EnvIMS study.

BACKGROUND: Several recent studies have found a higher risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) among people with a low level of education. This has been suggested to reflect an effect of smoking and lower vitamin D status in the social class associated with lower levels of education. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to investigate the association between level of education and MS risk adjusting for the known risk factors smoking, infectious mononucleosis, indicators of vitamin D levels and body size. METHODS: Within the case-control study on Environmental Factors In MS (EnvIMS), 953 MS patients and 1717 healthy controls from Norway reported educational level and history of exposure to putative environmental risk factors. RESULTS: Higher level of education were associated with decreased MS risk (p trend = 0.001) with an OR of 0.53 (95% CI 0.41-0.68) when comparing those with the highest and lowest level of education. This association was only moderately reduced after adjusting for known risk factors (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.44-0.83). The estimates remained similar when cases with disease onset before age 28 were excluded. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that factors related to lower socioeconomic status other than established risk factors are associated with MS risk.

Timing of use of cod liver oil, a vitamin D source, and multiple sclerosis risk: The EnvIMS study.

BACKGROUND: Low vitamin D levels have been associated with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), although it remains unknown whether this relationship varies by age. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to investigate the association between vitamin D3 supplementation through cod liver oil at different postnatal ages and MS risk. METHODS: In the Norwegian component of the multinational case-control study Environmental Factors In Multiple Sclerosis (EnvIMS), a total of 953 MS patients with maximum disease duration of 10 years and 1717 controls reported their cod liver oil use from childhood to adulthood. RESULTS: Self-reported supplement use at ages 13-18 was associated with a reduced risk of MS (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.52-0.86), whereas supplementation during childhood was not found to alter MS risk (OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.81-1.26), each compared to non-use during the respective period. An inverse association was found between MS risk and the dose of cod liver oil during adolescence, suggesting a dose-response relationship (p trend = 0.001) with the strongest effect for an estimated vitamin D3 intake of 600-800 IU/d (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.31-0.70). CONCLUSIONS: These findings not only support the hypothesis relating to low vitamin D as a risk factor for MS, but further point to adolescence as an important susceptibility period for adult-onset MS.