A study led by researchers from the University of Southampton has revealed that inflammation caused by infections, such as colds and viruses, could contribute to the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS).
For over two years, the Systemic Infections in MS (SIMS) study, funded by the MS Society, investigated 50 people living with primary or secondary progressive MS.
Estimated to affect more than 130,000 people in the UK, according to MS Society, MS is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder that occurs when a person’s immune system attacks the protective myelin covering the nerve fibres of the brain and spinal cord.
Researchers took and tested weekly urine samples from the recruited patients to identify whether their bodies were responding to an infection and, if so, how they were doing it.
After recording infectious or inflammatory events using a diary and developing a new technique, researchers were able to measure inflammation from the urine samples.
In addition, the team measured the progression of MS in patients by taking MRI scans at the beginning and end of the study, while also measuring clinical disability during clinic visits every six months, as assessed by the Expanded Disability Status Scale, MS Functional Composite and accelerometry, which is used to measure human movement.
The MRI scans allowed the researchers to objectively measure brain shrinkage and tissue integrity in the patients.
In doing so, the researchers discovered that inflammation from infections was associated with the loss of nerve cells in the spinal cord.
The study highlights the importance of MS patients seeking early treatment for infections, such as bladder infections, which are common in people living with the condition, and getting vaccinations.
In addition, the findings could lead to new treatment strategies to prevent or slow down the progression of MS.
In February, researchers from King’s College London and the University of Exeter developed a new genetic risk tool that could save sight and help diagnose MS in young adults much earlier.
The study published in Nature Communications revealed that genetic risk for MS in combination with demographic factors could improve MS risk predictions in individuals presenting with optic neuritis, an inflammatory condition that affects the eye and vision.