BUFFALO, N.Y., Aug 18, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- People with multiple sclerosis
who smoked -- as little as six months -- experienced more brain shrinkage than
those who never smoked, U.S. researchers said.
The study, published in Neurology, showed "ever-smokers" had more brain lesions
and greater loss of brain volume, as well as higher scores on the Expanded
Disability Status Scale than MS patients who had no history of smoking
First author Dr. Robert Zivadinov of the University at Buffalo said the study
involved 368 patients, 128 had a history of smoking: 96 were active smokers who
had smoked more than 10 cigarettes-per-day prior to the study and 32 were former
smokers who had smoked at least six months in their lifetime. The remaining 240
were lifelong non-smokers.
Zivadinov said the findings showed smokers with MS had nearly 17 percent more
brain lesions -- patches of inflammation in the sheath surrounding the nerve
fibers that impair function -- than non-smokers with MS, and also had less brain
volume.
Smoking also was associated with increased physical disability, as measured by
the EDSS score.
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Copyright 2009 by United Press International