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Sun Exposure and MS Disease Progression
abstract
This abstract is available on the publisher's site.
Access this abstract nowBACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Higher latitude has been associated with increased occurrence of multiple sclerosis (MS) and with more severe disease. The aim was to study the impact of sun exposure habits on MS disease progression and health-related quality of life.
METHODS
Patients from a population-based case-control study were categorized based on sun exposure habits at diagnosis and were followed up to 15 years post-diagnosis through the Swedish MS registry (n = 3314) with regard to changes in Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Linear mixed models were used to analyse long-term changes, while Cox regression models, with 95% confidence intervals, were used to investigate outcomes, including 24-week confirmed diasability worsening, EDSS3, EDSS4, and physical worsening as measured by the physical component of the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale 29.
RESULTS
Compared to average sun exposure (median value), low exposure to sunlight was associated with faster EDSS progression, increased risk of confirmed disability worsening (hazard ratio [HR] 1.48, 95% CI 1.21-1.81), increased risk of reaching EDSS 3 (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.02-1.79), EDSS 4 (HR 1.47, 95% CI 1.01-2.20) and self-reported physical worsening (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.00-1.62). Significant trends revealed a lower risk of unfavourable outcomes with increasing sun exposure.
CONCLUSIONS
Very low levels of sun exposure are associated with worse disease progression and health-related quality of life in patients with MS.
Additional Info
Disclosure statements are available on the authors' profiles:
Association between sun exposure habits and disease progression in multiple sclerosis
Eur. J. Neurol. 2024 Mar 05;[EPub Ahead of Print], J Wu, T Olsson, L Alfredsson, AK HedströmFrom MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.