title: Risk factors for multiple sclerosis and associations with anti-EBV antibody titers.
abstract: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelination of the central nervous system. We investigated the prevalence of EBV seropositivity and other known risk factors for MS (age, smoking, low vitamin D) and their effect on anti-EBV antibody titers. We retrospectively studied 249 MS patients receiving care at the American University of Beirut Medical Center and 230 controls, during 2010-2014. EBV seropositivity was higher in MS patients compared to controls for both anti-VCA (99.5%; 97.2%) and anti-EBNA-1 (96.3%; 89.4%), and the titers were significantly higher in MS patients. MS patients had a significantly lower vitamin D level (15.5 ± 8.3 ng/ml) compared to controls (20.4 ± 11.3 ng/ml). The proportion of heavy smokers and overweight individuals was significantly higher in MS patients. Lebanese MS patients have risk factors similar to those in western countries. Older age and female gender were associated with a higher anti-VCA titer and male gender with a higher anti-EBNA-1.
authors: Multiple Sclerosis Center, Abu Haidar Neuroscience Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors: Tarek H
authors: TH
authors: Mouhieddine
authors: Multiple Sclerosis Center, Abu Haidar Neuroscience Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors: Hala
authors: H
authors: Darwish
authors: Multiple Sclerosis Center, Abu Haidar Neuroscience Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors: Lama
authors: L
authors: Fawaz
authors: Multiple Sclerosis Center, Abu Haidar Neuroscience Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors: Bassem
authors: B
authors: Yamout
authors: Clinical Research Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors: Hani
authors: H
authors: Tamim
authors: Multiple Sclerosis Center, Abu Haidar Neuroscience Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon. Electronic address: sk88@aub.edu.lb.
authors: Samia J
authors: SJ
authors: Khoury
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D
keywords: Epstein–Barr virus; Multiple sclerosis; Risk factors