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The following is a summary of “Vascular Function in Multiple Sclerosis: Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis,” published in the September 2024 issue of Neurology by Zheng et al.
Vascular comorbidities are common in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, less is understood about underlying vascular function (VF).
Researchers conducted a retrospective study comparing VF between patients with MS and HCs, exploring potential factors that influence VF differences.
They systematically searched PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Embase for studies(March 2024) that compared VF between MS and control groups. The studies included various function and structure outcomes such as pulse wave velocity, augmentation index, arterial diameter, intima-media thickness, and flow-mediated dilation. Effect sizes were calculated as standardized mean differences (SMD) using Hedge’s g, with a positive effect indicating worse VF in MS compared to controls. A multilevel random effects model with follow-up moderator analyses was used for the meta-analysis.
The results showed 14 studies and yielded 49 effect sizes for meta-analysis. Patients with MS (N=614) were predominantly female (72.0%), with mean ages ranging from 29.9 to 54.4 years. Moderate difference in VF between persons with MS and HCs (SMD [95% CI] = 0.56 [0.08, 1.03]; P=0.02), and the effects were heterogeneous (Q48=634.5, P<0.01; I2=94.39%). More significant differences in arterial stiffness were observed between MS and control W(0.78 [0.21, 1.36], P=0.008) but not in other arterial structure or function outcomes (P>0.05). No significant moderators were detected (P>0.05).
They found that patients with MS exhibited poorer VF and significantly increased arterial stiffness compared to HCs, highlighting the need for further research into the causes, effects, and management of arterial stiffness in MS.
Source: msard-journal.com/article/S2211-0348(24)00478-4/abstract
