Study Suggests Smoking May Worsen MS

Main Category: Smoking / Quit Smoking
Also Included In: Multiple Sclerosis
Article Date: 15 Jul 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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A new study has revealed a possible link between smoking and more rapid progression of disability in multiple sclerosis (MS).

The journal Archives of Neurology yesterday reported the results of a Boston study that examined 1465 people with MS over three years.

The study, carried out at the Harvard Medical School, divided participants into three groups: those who had never smoked, ex-smokers and current smokers.

The results showed that people with MS who already smoked had significantly increased disability at the beginning of the study and were more likely to have primary progressive MS.

Furthermore, the study found that current smokers were more than twice as likely to progress from relapsing remitting MS to secondary progressive MS in the time that the study was being conducted.

MRI scans also revealed that the number of lesions increased in the group of participants that smoked compared with the non-smoking group of participants.

Dr Susan Kohlhaas, Research Communications Officer at the MS Society said: "The study suggests that cigarette smoke may influence progression of MS, but other environmental factors that may be linked to MS are not considered in this study. These will need to be looked at in more detail before firm conclusions can be drawn about the role of smoking in MS."

For a breakdown of study results, see Research News.

Source
Multiple Sclerosis Society