Is a Higher Dietary Intake of Vitamin E Related to Lower Odds of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder?

Abstract

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant which the possible protective effects of it against some diseases including multiple sclerosis is noted previously. The present study investigated the association between dietary vitamin E and odds of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD). Seventy definite NMOSD cases based on 2015 international consensus criteria and 164 controls were enrolled in this case-control study. Project was performed in the only NMOSD specialist clinic in Sina hospital, Tehran, Iran. A validated food frequency questionnaire with 168 items was used to assess dietary habits of participants during the one past year of study attendance and anthropometric and demographic data were collected. Vitamin E consumption was stratified into quartiles. two logistic regression models were applied for analyzing NMOSD odds across vitamin E quartiles. The mean intakes of vitamin E were 11.71 mg/day in control group and 13.17 mg/day in case group and there was no significant difference between two groups (P-value:0.21). The median dietary intakes of vitamin E were 6.06, 8.74, 12.48 and 19.12 mg/day from the first to the fourth quartiles of vitamin E. In the first regression model by adjustment for age and gender, comparing with the first quartile we found a significant 69% (95%CI:0.13-0.75) decreased odds for NMOSD in the second quartile (P-trend:0.65). Additional adjustment for total fat intake, in the second model resulted in 71% (95%CI:0.12-0.70) and 61% (95%CI:0.15-1.00) significant decreased odds of NMOSD in the second and third quartile of vitamin E consumption vs. first quartile, respectively (P-value:0.35). This study proposed a higher intake of vitamin E which is more close to dietary reference intake (DRI) of vitamin E (15mg/day) as a potential preventive factor for NMOSD odds. The present study is the first study in this topic and more studies are needed to prove this results.