Nutritional and Biochemical Parameters Among Multiple Sclerosis Patients: A Case-Control Study.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Nutritional Science
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis and prognosis are actively researched.
• Dietary and biochemical factors, including vitamin D, magnesium, and potassium, may influence MS progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the nutritional status and biochemical profiles of individuals with and without MS.
• To identify key parameters differentiating MS patients from healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 112 participants (56 MS patients, 56 controls).
• Data collection included socioeconomic, demographic, nutritional, and biochemical parameters.
• A decision tree model was employed to evaluate the impact of these parameters on MS presence.
• Statistical analysis used Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney U test.

Main Results:

• The decision tree model achieved an accuracy of 86.52%.
• Significant differences were observed in vitamin and mineral intake (p = 0.001) between groups.
• Key biochemical differences included serum levels of 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol and potassium.

Conclusions:

• Serum 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and carbohydrate intake were identified as critical differentiating factors.
• The findings suggest that nutritional strategies informed by these parameters could aid in managing MS.