Evaluation of the relationship between serum cholesterol levels and multiple sclerosis disease activity

Year 2020, Volume: 6 Issue: 2, 163 - 168, 04.03.2020

Meral Seferoglu , Nizameddin Koca

https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.658361

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Objectives:
Multiple sclerosis
(MS) is an immune-mediated, inflammatory, demyelinating, neurodegenerative
disease of the central nervous system affecting young adults. Cholesterol and
lipids are essential components of nerve cells and are abundant in the myelin
sheath. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between plasma
cholesterol levels and severity of the disease and lesion burden in cranial
magnetic resonance imaging.

Methods: A total of 70 patients (22 males and 48 females) with
the diagnosis of MS were included in the study. Age, gender, duration of
disease, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores, total number of
relapses since diagnosis, current treatment and lipid levels of all
participants were recorded. The patients were grouped according to EDSS scores,
total number of relapses and number of lesions observed in cranial MRI and the data
were compared among the groups.

Results: The
mean age was 38.62 ± 9.94 years and the duration of the disease was 7.50 ± 5.88
years. The mean EDSS score was 2.80 ± 1.69. Total cholesterol, triglyceride and
LDL levels were found to be significantly higher in the group with more than 3
relapses. Patients with > 9 lesions were older and EDSS scores were higher.
In correlation analysis; there was a significant positive correlation between
total cholesterol and LDL levels and EDSS scores and disease duration.

Conclusions: We
found that the number of relapses, disease duration, and EDSS scores were
significantly correlated with cholesterol levels. The changes in plasma
cholesterol levels which are easily accessible laboratory tests may provide
insight into MS disease activity and progression. 

Keywords

multiple sclerosis, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides

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