In untreated patients with MS, increasing levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D are inversely associated with radiologic disease activity irrespective of their HLA-DRB1*15 status.

To investigate whether-3 fatty acids reduce magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis, both as monotherapy and in combination with interferon beta-1a treatment. Design: Multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled clinical trial conducted from 2004 to 2008. Setting: Thirteen public neurology departments in Norway. Participants: Patients aged 18 to 55 years with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, with a disability score equivalent to 5.0 or less on the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale. Ninety-two patients were randomized to-3 fatty acids (n = 46) or placebo capsules (n=46). Interventions: Administration of 1350 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid and 850 mg of docosahexaenoic acid daily or placebo. After 6 months, all patients in addition received subcutaneously 44 µg of interferon beta-1a 3 times per week for another 18 months. Main Outcome Measure: The primary outcome measure was MRI disease activity as measured by the number of new T1-weighted gadolinium-enhancing lesions during the first 6 months. Secondary outcome measures included MRI disease activity after 9 months and 24 months, relapse rate, disability progression, fatigue, quality of life, and safety. Results: The cumulative number of gadoliniumenhancing MRI lesions during the first 6 months were similar in the-3 fatty acids and placebo groups (median difference, 1; 95% CI, 0 to 3; P =.09). No difference in relapse rate was detected after 6 (median difference, 0; 95% CI, 0 to 0; P=.54) or 24 (median difference, 0; 95% CI, 0 to 0; P =.72) months. The proportion of patients without disability progression was 70% in both groups (P Ͼ .99). No differences were detected in fatigue or quality-of-life scores, and no safety concerns appeared. Serum analyses of fatty acids showed an increase in-3 fatty acids (mean difference, 7.60; 95% CI, 5.57 to 7.91; P Ͻ.001) in the patients treated with-3 fatty acids compared with the placebo group. Conclusion: No beneficial effects on disease activity were detected from-3 fatty acids when compared with placebo as monotherapy or in combination with interferon beta-1a. Magnetic resonance imaging disease activity was reduced as expected by interferon beta-1a.

Serum retinol is inversely associated with simultaneous and subsequent MRI outcomes in RRMS.

Background Myotonic Dystrophy 1 (DM1) causes progressive myopathy of extremity muscles. DM1 may also affect muscles of the trunk. The aim of this study was to investigate fat infiltration and muscle size in trunk muscles in DM1 patients, and in an age and gender matched control group. Further, explore how fat infiltration and degree of atrophy in these muscles are associated with motor and respiratory function in DM1 patients. Method We measured fat infiltration and trunk muscle size by MRI in 20 patients with genetically confirmed classic form of DM1, and compared these cases with 20 healthy, age and gender matched controls. In the DM1 group, we investigated correlations between MRI findings and clinical measures of muscle strength, mobility and respiration. We used sum scores for fat infiltration and muscle size in trunk flexors and trunk extensors in the analysis of group differences and correlations. Results Significant differences between cases and controls were present for fat infiltration in trunk flexors ( p = 0.001) and trunk extensors (p = < 0.001), and for muscle size in trunk flexors ( p = 0.002) and trunk extensors ( p = 0.030). Fat infiltration in trunk flexors were significant correlated to back extension strength ( rho = − 0.523 p = 0.018), while muscle size in trunk flexors was significantly correlated to trunk flexion strength (rho = 0.506 p = 0.023 ). Fat infiltration in trunk flexors was significantly correlated with lower general mobility ( rho = − 0.628, p = 0.003), reduced balance ( rho = 0.630, p < 0.003) and forced vital capacity ( rho − 0.487 p = 0.040). Conclusions Trunk muscles in DM1 patients had significant higher levels of fat infiltration and reduced muscle size compared to age and gender matched controls. In DM1 patients, fat infiltration was associated with reduced muscle strength, mobility, balance and lung function, while muscle size was associated with reduced muscle strength and lung function. These findings are of importance for clinical management of the disease and could be useful additional outcome measures in future intervention studies. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12883-019-1357-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.