Letter re: Neonatal vitamin D status and risk of multiple sclerosis: A population-based case-control study

We read with interest the article by Nielsen et al.,1 which described an inverse association between neonatal levels of 25(OH)D and risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), similar to the recent study by Munger et al.2 However, both articles might only reflect a short-time influence of 25(OH)D, which could be affected by environmental factors (e.g., sun exposure and dietary structure). Two recent studies provided new insights into the effects of latitude and vitamin D supplementation on the disease course in MS,3,4 indicating that a long-time cumulative effect of environmental factors might play an important role in the risk of MS, rather than short-time changes. Furthermore, in the current study, there was a higher rate of parental MS in the MS group,1 which suggests a possible association with genetic variations. These findings support the recommendation of vitamin D supplements to potential beneficiaries who have low serum 25(OH)D levels, have a history of parental MS or are patients with MS, and lack enough sun exposure.
Source: Neurology - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: WRITECLICK & amp;reg; EDITOR ' S CHOICE Source Type: research