title: Association of vitamin D status and clinical and radiological outcomes in a treated MS population in Poland.
abstract: Vitamin D influences the immune system significantly. Previous studies have found that vitamin D deficiency in adolescence can play a significant role in increasing the risk of developing autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the vitamin D status in serum and clinical and radiological outcomes in a treated population in Poland.
  
  
  
  Inclusion criteria met 83 adult patients aged 20-61 years with diagnosis of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, who underwent immunomodulatory treatment which lasted at least 12 months. Levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D were determined using radio-immuno assay. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and cervical part of a spinal cord was performed each time after 12 months of the treatment. Patients were assessed neurologically after 12 months of treatment, the level of disability was also assessed using Extended Disability Status Scale.
  
  
  
  The largest group (63.8%) showed significant vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/ml), 21.7% showed the suboptimal level of vitamin D (20-30 ng/ml). The normal level of 25(OH)D (>30 ng/ml) was observed in 14.5% of the patients. Statistically significant correlation was observed between the vitamin D status and frequency of relapses.
  
  
  
  Our findings confirm that deficiency of vitamin D in patients with MS is correlated with clinical and radiological course of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Clinic Military Clinical Hospital No. 10 with Policlinic in Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz Poland.
authors.forename: Sławomir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wawrzyniak
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń Toruń Poland; Neurocognitive Laboratory Centre for Modern Interdisciplinary Technologies Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń Toruń Poland.
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mikołajewska
authors.affiliation: Neurology Clinic Military Clinical Hospital No. 10 with Policlinic in Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz Poland.
authors.forename: Ewelina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kuczko-Piekarska
authors.affiliation: Neurology Clinic Military Clinical Hospital No. 10 with Policlinic in Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niezgodzińska-Maciejek
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń Toruń Poland; Cardiology and Cardiosurgery Clinic Military Clinical Hospital No. 10 with Policlinic in Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011044:Poland; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D
keywords: immunomodulatory treatment; multiple sclerosis; relapse; relapsing‐remitting; vitamin D