Smoking and disability outcomes in multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Bassel Alrabadi, Yousef Alghzawi, Alwaleed Emad Alshakhshir et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the impact of smoking on disability outcomes in multiple sclerosis (MS) across 18 studies. The analysis found no significant association between smoking and increased disability as measured by EDSS or MSSS, with SMD values of 0.09 and 0.10, respectively. The findings suggest that while smoking may trend towards worse clinical outcomes, these effects were not statistically significant.
Key findings
- Smoking was not significantly associated with increased EDSS (SMD = 0.09, 95% CI [-0.04; 0.22]).
- No significant association was found for progression to EDSS ≥4 (HR = 1.27, 95% CI [0.90; 1.81]).
- High heterogeneity was observed across several outcomes, indicating variability in results.
Why it matters
Understanding the relationship between smoking and disability progression in MS is crucial for patient management and counseling. This review highlights the complexity of this relationship and the need for further research.