Systematic review of vitamin D as add-on therapy in multiple sclerosis / 中国免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To evaluate a Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials ( RCTs) in multiple sclerosis ( MS) patients to evaluate the efficacy of vitamin D as add-on therapy. Methods: Searched Pubmed,EMbase,the Cochrane Library,CNKI,Wanfang Data base and so on up to february 2016 using the keywordsmultiple sclerosis or MS and the drug namesvitamin D orCholecalciferol. Two authors independently selected the articles and extracted the data. We performed meta-analysis using Review Manager ( RevMan) version 5. 3 software. Results:Four RCTs with a total of 247 patients were selected.①Compared to the placebo, the EDSS score[MD=-0. 33,95% Confidence interval (CI)= (0. 68,0. 01),P=0. 05],the annual relapse rate[MD=-0. 08, 95%CI=(-0.37,0.21),P=0.60]and the number of gadolinium-enhancing lesions[MD=-0.16,95%CI=(-0.57,0.25),P=0. 45] showed no significant difference at 12 months,meanwhile the EDSS score[MD=-0. 48,95%CI=(0. 87,-0. 09),P=0. 02] and the annual relapse rate[MD=-0. 27,95%CI=(-0. 52,-0. 02),P=0. 03] were significantly less in the vitamin D group at 24 months.②Safety evaluationThere was no hypercalcaemia in vitamin D treated patients in each studies,main adverse events reported were diarrhoea, fever, constipation, dyspepsia, headache and so on. These symptoms were mild, after stopping drug can relieve the general. Conclusion: Vitamin D as an added in the treatment of MS showed as same as the placebo in some clinical indicators. However,after a longer treatment, the clinical indicators were significantly lower in the vitamin D group. Due to limited quantity and quality of the included studies,further larger and more prolonged studies are merited to verify the above conclusion.