Sharp increase in the incidence and prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Isfahan, Iran

2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 1022-1027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masoud Etemadifar ◽  
Amir-Hadi Maghzi

Background: The epidemiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) has changed in recent decades. Objectives: This study aimed to give an update on the prevalence and incidence of MS in Isfahan, Iran. Methods: The study population was all residents of Isfahan province during the period from April 2003 to July 2010. In April 2003, a registry of MS patients was created at the Isfahan MS Society (IMSS), which is the only referral center for MS patients in the province. Nearly all MS patients in Isfahan province are now registered with IMSS and were included in the analysis. Results: Among the 3522 registered patients, 2716 were female and 806 were male (sex ratio: 3.37 : 1), and 431 were diagnosed in 2009. This results in a prevalence figure of 73.3 (95% CI: 70.9–75.8) and an incidence of 9.1 (95% CI: 8.3–10.0) per 100,000. Conclusion: The reported prevalence and incidence figures in our study were higher than in our previous report of 2007, in which the prevalence and incidence of MS were reported to be 43.8 and 3.64 per 100,000, respectively. This dramatic increase in the prevalence of MS puts Isfahan amongst the regions with the highest prevalence of MS in Asia and Oceania and is mostly due to changing environmental factors, amongst which vitamin D deficiency seems an important factor in our population.

Author(s):  
Kassandra L. Munger

The descriptive epidemiology has proved to be dynamic with attenuation of the latitude gradient, increase in incidence among women, and changes in the sex ratio over time, indicating that recent changes in environmental factors are responsible. Although we still do not know the causes of MS, or how to prevent it, the current evidence supports causal roles for EBV infection, vitamin D, and cigarette smoking.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 18
Author(s):  
Sumaia Braidy ◽  
Alaa Maan Matar ◽  
Jamilah Borjac

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Interaction between genetic and environmental factors guides the development of the disease. Among environmental factors, vitamin D deficiency is shown to increase the risk of MS development. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in cytochrome P450 family 27 subfamily B (CYP27B1) gene that encodes the rate-limiting enzyme involved in vitamin D metabolism, were shown to be correlated with MS. We aimed at investigating the association of CYP27B1 gene polymorphisms and vitamin D level with MS development in a sample of Lebanese MS patients living in the Bekaa region. Enrolled MS patients and controls were age and gender matched. Genotyping was performed by sequencing the amplified CYP27B1 PCR products. Vitamin D levels were measured using a VIDAS® 25 OH Vitamin D total assay based on enzyme linked fluorescent assay (ELFA). Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for statistical analysis. A significant association was shown between vitamin D deficiency and MS without any association between CYP27B1 studied SNPs and the disease. We confirmed that vitamin D deficiency was associated with MS with no implication of the studied SNPs of CYP27B1 gene with disease susceptibility among the Lebanese MS patients living in the Bekaa region.


2014 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doralina Guimarães Brum ◽  
Elizabeth Regina Comini-Frota ◽  
Claúdia Cristina F. Vasconcelos ◽  
Elza Dias-Tosta

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory, autoimmune, demyelinating, and degenerative central nervous system disease. Even though the etiology of MS has not yet been fully elucidated, there is evidence that genetic and environmental factors interact to cause the disease. Among the main environmental factors studied, those more likely associated with MS include certain viruses, smoking, and hypovitaminosis D. This review aimed to determine whether there is evidence to recommend the use of vitamin D as monotherapy or as adjunct therapy in patients with MS. We searched PUBMED, EMBASE, COCHRANNE, and LILACS databases for studies published until September 9 th , 2013, using the keywords “multiple sclerosis”, “vitamin D”, and “clinical trial”. There is no scientific evidence up to the production of this consensus for the use of vitamin D as monotherapy for MS in clinical practice.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 057-061
Author(s):  
Hasna Osman Fadalla Mohamed ◽  
Omer Fadol Edris ◽  
Gad Allah Modawe ◽  
Suhair Abdelrahman Ahmed

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is a worldwide health issue and its role as an immune modulator has recently been emphasized. Evidence increasingly indicates the important role of vitamin D in reducing the incidence of autoimmune diseases. However, at this time the search for its role in autoimmune diseases and thyroid is not critical. Objectives: The study aimed to assess the relationship between vitamin D deficiency in Sudanese patients with hypothyroidism. Methods: Analytical case control hospital based study, conducted in Fadil Hospital and Police Hospital, Khartoum city, Khartoum state. The study carried out from March 2018 to September 2018. A total of 100 subjects were enrolled in the study. Vitamin D deficiency was set at levels below 20 ng / ml. Thyroid hormones (TSH, T3 and T4) were assessed in all participants using auto analyzer TOSOH AIA 313,while vitamin D was estimated using ELIZA. The data were analyzed using SPSS version (21). Results: The study included 76(76%) females and 24(24%) males, no significance differences between thyroid profile among study population.75 (75%) deficiency of vitamin D and 25(25%) normal vitamin D. vitamin D deficiency was significantly lower in female than male with( p =0.001). Conclusion: The results indicated that patients with hypothyroidism suffer from vitamin D deficiency significantly associated with the degree and severity of hypothyroidism. This encourages the desirability of vitamin D supplementation and recommends the detection of vitamin D deficiency for all hypothyroidism patients.


2011 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margherita T. Cantorna ◽  
Jun Zhao ◽  
Linlin Yang

Vitamin D is an important regulator of the immune system in general and multiple sclerosis in particular. Experimentally (i), invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells have been shown to be important suppressors of autoimmune diseases such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE; an animal model of multiple sclerosis). Conversely, in experimental allergic asthma iNKT cells are required for disease induction and are therefore pathogenic. The active form of vitamin D (calcitriol) suppresses EAE. The development of EAE symptoms is accelerated in vitamin D deficiency. Interestingly experimental asthma is less severe in vitamin D deficiency although there is no effect of calcitriol on disease severity. The data suggest that an important target of vitamin D in EAE and asthma are the iNKT cells. Vitamin D and/or vitamin D receptor deficiency results in the impaired development of iNKT cells. Vitamin D is critical very early during development of the immune system. Low levels of vitamin D in utero resulted in significantly reduced numbers of iNKT cells that failed to recover when calcitriol was used to supplement neonatal or adult mice. The data suggest that one of the consequences of early vitamin D deficiency is a reduction in the numbers of iNKT cells that develop. The iNKT cells are required for the beneficial effects of calcitriol in EAE. The important role of vitamin D on iNKT cells could impact the development of human immune-mediated diseases including multiple sclerosis and asthma.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delphine A. Tangoh ◽  
Tobias O. Apinjoh ◽  
Yasir Mahmood ◽  
Robert V. Nyingchu ◽  
Beatrice A. Tangunyi ◽  
...  

Background. Vitamin D has been shown to exert its actions on the musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, prostate, renal, endocrine, immune, and cardiovascular systems. Current reported data of hypovitaminosis D reveals a global pandemic, with an estimated one billion people worldwide presenting with hypovitaminosis D. Objective. This study aimed at investigating the vitamin D status and its associated risk factors in Cameroonians from the South West Region. Method. The study was a community- and hospital-based prospective longitudinal study. It was carried out during the dry and rainy seasons between the months of July and December 2015 in the South West Region of Cameroon involving 372 participants aged 35 years and above. After obtaining informed consent, a structured questionnaire was used to capture demographic data and risk factors of vitamin D deficiency. Blood samples were collected from the volunteer participants in the peak months of the rainy season and dry season, and the serum used to analyse for vitamin D by ELISA and calcium by spectrophotometry. 25(OH)D levels ≥75 nmol/L (≥30 ng/mL) were considered sufficient while levels <75 nmol/L were considered as hypovitaminosis D (insufficiency/deficiency). Results. Hypovitaminosis D (deficiency/insufficiency) was prevalent in 25.8% (96) of the study population, with only 3.2% (12) deficiency and 22.6% (84) insufficiency. There was a significant inverse relationship r=−0.119,p=0.02 between age and 25(OH)D levels; however, this relationship was not significant when controlled for gender, number of hours spent outdoors, and percentage of body covered. Gender, ethnic origin, percentage of body covered, time spent outdoors, and season did not influence serum vitamin D levels. Conclusion. Results of this study suggest that the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D is relatively low in this study population and only age is a risk factor of vitamin D deficiency.


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