Environmental factors and risk of multiple sclerosis: Findings from meta-analyses and Mendelian randomization studies

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease that is associated with permanent disability and low quality of life. Development of MS is attributed to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Genome-wide association studies revealed more than 200 variants that are associated...

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Published in:	Multiple sclerosis Vol. 26; no. 4; p. 397
Main Authors:	Belbasis, Lazaros, Bellou, Vanesa, Evangelou, Evangelos, Tzoulaki, Ioanna
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	England 01.04.2020
Subjects:	Adolescent Adult Antigens, Viral - blood Body Mass Index Child Humans Infectious Mononucleosis - complications Mendelian Randomization Analysis Meta-Analysis as Topic Multiple Sclerosis - blood Multiple Sclerosis - epidemiology Multiple Sclerosis - etiology Multiple Sclerosis - genetics Smoking - adverse effects risk factors umbrella review environmental factors multiple sclerosis Biomarkers meta-analysis Mendelian randomization
ISSN:	1477-0970, 1477-0970
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Abstract	Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease that is associated with permanent disability and low quality of life. Development of MS is attributed to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Genome-wide association studies revealed more than 200 variants that are associated with risk of MS. An umbrella review showed that smoking, history of infectious mononucleosis, and anti-Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (anti-EBNA) immunoglobulin G (IgG) seropositivity are credible risk factors of MS. In the present narrative review, we updated our published umbrella review, showing that body mass index in childhood and adolescence and anti-viral capsid antigen (anti-VCA) IgG seropositivity are additional credible risk factors of MS. In addition, we discuss the findings from Mendelian randomization studies, which present evidence for a potential causal role of serum vitamin D and adulthood body mass index on risk of MS. Finally, we discuss the potential limitations of meta-analyses, umbrella reviews, and Mendelian randomization studies in the search for risk factors of MS.
AbstractList	Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease that is associated with permanent disability and low quality of life. Development of MS is attributed to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Genome-wide association studies revealed more than 200 variants that are associated with risk of MS. An umbrella review showed that smoking, history of infectious mononucleosis, and anti-Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (anti-EBNA) immunoglobulin G (IgG) seropositivity are credible risk factors of MS. In the present narrative review, we updated our published umbrella review, showing that body mass index in childhood and adolescence and anti-viral capsid antigen (anti-VCA) IgG seropositivity are additional credible risk factors of MS. In addition, we discuss the findings from Mendelian randomization studies, which present evidence for a potential causal role of serum vitamin D and adulthood body mass index on risk of MS. Finally, we discuss the potential limitations of meta-analyses, umbrella reviews, and Mendelian randomization studies in the search for risk factors of MS.Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease that is associated with permanent disability and low quality of life. Development of MS is attributed to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Genome-wide association studies revealed more than 200 variants that are associated with risk of MS. An umbrella review showed that smoking, history of infectious mononucleosis, and anti-Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (anti-EBNA) immunoglobulin G (IgG) seropositivity are credible risk factors of MS. In the present narrative review, we updated our published umbrella review, showing that body mass index in childhood and adolescence and anti-viral capsid antigen (anti-VCA) IgG seropositivity are additional credible risk factors of MS. In addition, we discuss the findings from Mendelian randomization studies, which present evidence for a potential causal role of serum vitamin D and adulthood body mass index on risk of MS. Finally, we discuss the potential limitations of meta-analyses, umbrella reviews, and Mendelian randomization studies in the search for risk factors of MS. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease that is associated with permanent disability and low quality of life. Development of MS is attributed to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Genome-wide association studies revealed more than 200 variants that are associated with risk of MS. An umbrella review showed that smoking, history of infectious mononucleosis, and anti-Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (anti-EBNA) immunoglobulin G (IgG) seropositivity are credible risk factors of MS. In the present narrative review, we updated our published umbrella review, showing that body mass index in childhood and adolescence and anti-viral capsid antigen (anti-VCA) IgG seropositivity are additional credible risk factors of MS. In addition, we discuss the findings from Mendelian randomization studies, which present evidence for a potential causal role of serum vitamin D and adulthood body mass index on risk of MS. Finally, we discuss the potential limitations of meta-analyses, umbrella reviews, and Mendelian randomization studies in the search for risk factors of MS.
Author	Belbasis, Lazaros Tzoulaki, Ioanna Bellou, Vanesa Evangelou, Evangelos
Author_xml	– sequence: 1 givenname: Lazaros surname: Belbasis fullname: Belbasis, Lazaros organization: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina Medical School, Ioannina, Greece – sequence: 2 givenname: Vanesa surname: Bellou fullname: Bellou, Vanesa organization: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina Medical School, Ioannina, Greece – sequence: 3 givenname: Evangelos surname: Evangelou fullname: Evangelou, Evangelos organization: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina Medical School, Ioannina, Greece/Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK – sequence: 4 givenname: Ioanna surname: Tzoulaki fullname: Tzoulaki, Ioanna organization: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina Medical School, Ioannina, Greece/Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
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SubjectTerms	Adolescent Adult Antigens, Viral - blood Body Mass Index Child Humans Infectious Mononucleosis - complications Mendelian Randomization Analysis Meta-Analysis as Topic Multiple Sclerosis - blood Multiple Sclerosis - epidemiology Multiple Sclerosis - etiology Multiple Sclerosis - genetics Smoking - adverse effects
Title	Environmental factors and risk of multiple sclerosis: Findings from meta-analyses and Mendelian randomization studies
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