El pescado, café y alcohol pueden retrasar la progresión de la esclerosis múltiple

El consumo regular de pescado, alcohol y café puede ayudar a retrasar la aparición y progresión de la enfermedad en pacientes con esclerosis múltiple de recaídas múltiples (EM). Sin embargo, el consumo de estos alimentos no parece afectar al desarrollo de la enfermedad en pacientes con EM de inicio progresivo. El estudio, publicado en la revista European Journal of Neurology incluyó datos de 1.372 pacientes con EM que completaron cuestionarios que recogían información sobre sus datos demográficos, características de la enfermedad, consumo de alcohol, vino, café, té y pescado, y tabaquismo. Los investigadores observaron que en la EM recidivante, el consumo de alcohol, vino, café y pescado se asociaba con una reducción del tiempo necesario para llegar a una puntuación de 6 en la Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Aunque el análisis sugiere un efecto relacionado con la dosis de café, pescado y alcohol, los resultados deben ser interpretados con precaución. [Eur J Neurol 2011] Origen: - 04-01-2012

Background: Certain lifestyle factors might influence disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS). Objectives:  To investigate the consumption of alcoholic beverages, caffeinated drinks, fish and cigarette smoking in relation to disability progression in relapsing onset and progressive onset MS. Methods:  We conducted a cross-sectional survey amongst individuals with MS, registered by the Flemish MS society in Belgium. A time-to-event analysis and Cox proportional-hazard regression were performed with time to Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 6 (requiring a cane or support to walk for a distance of 100 m) as outcome measure. Hazard ratios for the time from onset and from birth were adjusted for age at onset, gender and immunomodulatory treatment. Results:  Data of 1372 persons with definite MS were collected. In the relapsing onset group, a decreased risk for reaching EDSS 6 was found in regular consumers of alcohol, wine, coffee and fish compared with those who never consumed these substances. Cigarette smoking was associated with an enhanced risk for reaching EDSS 6. In the progressive onset group, no association with the risk of reaching EDSS 6 was found, except for the type of fish. Preference for fatty fish was associated with an increased risk to reach EDSS 6, when lean fish was taken as the reference category. Conclusion:  Consumption of alcoholic beverages, coffee and fish were inversely associated with progression of disability in relapsing onset MS, but not in progressive onset MS. These findings allow to support the hypothesis that different mechanisms might underlie progression of disability in relapsing and progressive onset MS. - 25-11-2011