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To explore if vitamin D modulates interferon-β1a treatment effects in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, we examined relationships between serum vitamin D and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) activity and ten systemic inflammation markers in 88 patients, before and during treatment. Odds ratios for all MRI parameters were negatively associated with vitamin D levels before therapy, but converged to equally low values irrespective of vitamin D status during treatment. During therapy, similar alterations of MRI activity and inflammation markers were found across patients categorized by mean vitamin D values. This suggests that vitamin D status has no major influence on interferon-β1a treatment effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Calprotectin is produced by activated monocytes and microglia, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels could be a marker of neuroinflammation. Calprotectin was detectable in CSF from 13.8% of normal controls, compared to 90.5% of patients with neurological infections (p <0.001). In CSF from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and clinically isolated demyelinating syndrome, calprotectin was detected in 64.7% within 2weeks after symptom debut compared to 30.8% between 2 and 4weeks and 17.0% thereafter (p <0.001). We conclude that CSF calprotectin reflects the disease activity in MS but does not discriminate between MS and other inflammatory or infectious conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]