b"Medicine & ResearchDoctors NotesThe MS News column includes analysis from Ben Thrower, M.D., MS Focus senior medical advisor. He draws from the top news stories of the quarter and explains what the news means to you, the person with MS. Christine Willis, MLIS, AHIP, is the Clinical Information Librarian at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Egleston Hospital.High-dose vitamin D may helpThis most recent study examined the earliest slow early disease activity clinical manifestation of MS, known as the Researchers from 36 centers across Franceclinically isolated syndrome. The group treated investigated whether high-dose vitamin D couldwith vitamin D had a lower risk for relapses reduce disease activity in people recentlyand new lesions on MRI. All people living with diagnosed with clinically isolated syndrome, aMS should have their vitamin D levels checked condition suggestive of MS. A total of 316 adults,and work with their medical team to get on a predominantly women aged 18 to 55, weresupplemental dose if needed. Its essential to randomly given either vitamin D or a placeboknow yourbloodlevelsandnottakelarge for two years. The vitamin D group showeddoses of vitamin D blindly. Like all fat-soluble signicantly less disease activity on MRI scansvitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K), excessive and a longer time before symptoms worsened,doses could come with side effects. High levels of though relapse rates and disability levels werevitamin D can be linked to ectopic calcication, similar between groups. The study suggestssuch as kidney stones. that high-dose vitamin D may help slow theFindings suggest a possible new progression of early MS with minimal siderituximab dosing option effects. The study was published in JAMA.Thrower -Research on the anti-inammatoryNorwegian researchers studied 295 adults effects of vitamin D in MS has yielded mixedwith MS to compare two treatment schedules of results. Some studies have shown a protectiverituximab, a medication that reduces immune effect, while others have not. Personally, Isystem activity. One group (78 people at St. believe the weight of the evidence argues forOlavsHospital)receivedextendeddosing a positive effect of vitamin D on MS. Vitamin Devery nine months, while the other group (217 is linked to a decrease in inammatory Th17at Haukeland University Hospital) continued cells and inammatory cytokines. Vitamin D isstandard six-month dosing. Both groups had also associated with an increase in T-regulatorysimilar relapse rates, MRI results, and side cells that help regulate the immune system.effects. The study found the extended schedule Vitamin D deciency is dened as a 25-hydroxywas just as safe and effective, suggesting less vitamin D level below 20 ng/ml, while insufficiencyfrequent treatment may be a good option for is dened as levels between 20-30 ng/ml. Upsome people with MS. The findings were to 88 percent of those living with MS have lowpublished in Multiple Sclerosis and Related levels of vitamin D.Disorders. msfocusmagazine.org 38"