Association of vitamin D status with multiple sclerosis in a case-control study from Morocco

Abstract Background Growing evidence suggests that hypovitaminosis D contributes to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Objective This study aimed to evaluate whether vitamin D levels are associated with having MS and some of its characteristics in the Moroccan population. Methods Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, the 25(OH)D 3 metabolite was measured to quantify vitamin D serum levels (DSLs) in 113 patients with MS and 146 healthy controls matched for gender and age. DSLs were then compared between patients and controls, with correlations sought between DSLs and gender, age at onset, disease duration, MS type, degree of disability (EDSS score) and disease severity (MSSS) in patients. Results Hypovitaminosis D (DSL  P  = 0.131). Similarly, among patients, no apparent association was found between DSL and MS type ( P  = 0.214), EDSS score ( P  = 0.076) or MSSS ( P  = 0.772). Conclusion Our study suggests that DSL is not associated with having MS nor with MS type, degree of disability or disease severity in the Moroccan population. On the other hand, DSL was lower in women and decreased with age.