Interactions between dietary inflammatory index, nutritional state and Multiple Sclerosis clinical condition

Area of Science:

• Nutrition and Dietetics
• Neurology
• Public Health

Background:

• The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) quantifies the inflammatory potential of diets.
• Pro-inflammatory diets are linked to increased body weight and abdominal fat.
• High Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference (WC) may worsen Multiple Sclerosis (MS) prognosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between anthropometric indicators, body adiposity, and the clinical condition of MS patients.
• To explore the association between body composition and the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) in individuals with MS.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 137 MS patients in Northeast Brazil.
• Data collected included demographics, nutritional status (BMI, WC, WHR, BRI, ABSIz, %BF), and clinical variables (MS type, pulse therapies, attack rate, EDSS, MRC).
• The DII was calculated using a validated methodology.

Main Results:

• The Body Shape z score Index (ABSIz) positively correlated with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score (r=0.294, p=0.001).
• Waist Circumference (WC) and Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR) negatively correlated with the number of pulse therapy days.
• The DII showed a positive correlation with BMI in progressive MS patients (r=0.556, p=0.025).

Conclusions:

• The DII may influence the nutritional status of MS patients.
• Nutritional status appears to affect disability levels in MS.
• Further research is required to determine which nutritional indicators best predict the link between DII and MS clinical status.