Association between alcohol consumption and disability accumulation in multiple sclerosis

Previous studies have indicated that alcohol consumption is associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) disease progression. The influence of alcohol consumption habits on disease progression and health-related quality of life in MS was studied in Sweden.
Patients from two population-based, case-control studies were categorised by alcohol consumption habits at diagnosis. They were followed for up to 15 years after diagnosis through the Swedish MS Registry regarding changes in the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale 29 (MSIS-29).
The study comprised 9,051 patients with MS, with a mean age of 37.5 years at baseline/diagnosis. Compared with nondrinking, low and moderate alcohol consumption was associated with reduced risk of EDSS-related unfavourable outcomes (hazard ratios between 0.81 and 0.90) and with reduced risk of physical worsening. The inverse association was confined to relapsing-remitting MS and was more pronounced among women. High alcohol consumption did not significantly affect disease progression. The inverse relationship between low-moderate alcohol consumption and disability progression became stronger when researchers only included those who had not changed their alcohol consumption during follow-up (hazard ratios between 0.63 and 0.71). There were no differences in measures of disability at baseline between drinkers who continued drinking alcohol after diagnosis and those who later discontinued.
Low and moderate alcohol consumption was associated with more favourable outcomes in relapsing-remitting MS compared with nondrinking, while there was no significant influence of high alcohol consumption on disease outcomes.
Source: Wu J, Olsson T, Hillert JA, Alfredsson L, Hedström AK. Association Between Alcohol Consumption and Disability Accumulation in Multiple Sclerosis. Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm. 2024 Sep;11(5):e200289.