Comparison of fats/oils intake and disability in patients with MS and patients with NMOSD

Background and Aim : Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD) are two neurodegenerative, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases that involve central nervous system (CNS). Assessment of dietary intakes of fats is an approach that has been used to evaluate diet-disease and diet-disability association. The aim of this study was to investigate of fats/oils intake and disability in patients with MS and patients with NMOSD.Methods : 126 patients with diagnosed MS (84 RRMS, 21 PPMS and 21 SPMS) and 68 patients with diagnosed NMOSD with MRI assessment of brain and spinal cord were recruited from multiple sclerosis clinic in Kashani Hospital of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran include from present case control study. A 168-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used for assessment of dietary intakes of fatty acids. Medical history questionnaire, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and Fatigue questionnaire record from all participants.Results : Mean ± SD of EDSS, fatigue scale, and dietary intakes of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) in patients with MS were lower than NMOSD patients, but were not significant. Total fat, Mono Unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) intakes in MS patients were higher than patients with NMOSD without any significant differences. There was a negative significant correlation between dietary intakes of total fats (r=-0.975, p=0.025) and PUFAs (r=-0.986, p=0.014) with EDSS, total fats (r=-0.995, p=0.005) and MUFAs (r=-0.964, p=0.036) with fatigue Scale in patients with MS. In addition, there were negative significant correlation between dietary intakes of PUFAs (r=-1.054, p=0.001) with EDSS, total fats (r=-0.951, p=0.046) and PUFAs (r=-0.991, p=0.009) with fatigue Scale in patients with NMOSD. There were positive significant correlation between SFAs with EDSS (r=0.998, p=0.003) in patients with MS and positive significant correlation between SFAs with EDSS (r=1.125, p=<0.001) and fatigue scale (r=1.218, p=<0.001) in patients with NMOSD .Conclusion : Our study demonstrated that there is a positive significant correlation between intakes of SFAs with EDSS in patients with MS and patients with NMOSD. In addition dietary intakes of PUFAs can decreases EDSS in all patients with MS or NMOSD and decreases fatigue scale in NMOSD patients. Dietary intakes of fats and types of fatty acids may impress on disability in MS and NMOSD Further studies with larger sample sizes and other population needed to prove this correlation.

Keywords:

Multiple Sclerosis , Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder , Diet , Fatty Acids