Obesity and Multiple Sclerosis

07/11/2022

Obesity reportedly increases the risk for developing multiple sclerosis (MS), but little is known about its association with disability accumulation.

In a new nationwide longitudinal cohort study included 1066 individuals with newly diagnosed MS from the German National MS cohort. Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores, relapse rates, MRI findings and choice of immunotherapy were compared at baseline and at years 2, 4 and 6 between obese (body mass index, BMI ≥30 kg/m2) and non-obese (BMI <30 kg/m2) patients and correlated with individual BMI values.

Obesity in newly diagnosed patients with MS it was associated with higher disease severity and poorer outcome.

In conclusion, obesity management could improve clinical outcome of MS.

Source: J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2022 Nov 1:jnnp-2022-329685