J Neurol Res

Journal of Neurology Research, ISSN 1923-2845 print, 1923-2853 online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Neurol Res and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website http://www.neurores.org

Original Article

Volume 4, Number 2-3, June 2014, pages 72-80

Nutrient Patterns and Risk of Multiple Sclerosis: A Case-Control Study

**Table 1.** Characteristics of Subjects in a Case-Control Study of MS, Iran
Characteristics	MS patients	Controls	Pearson Chi-square	P value
Number	68	140
Age (years)	30.4 (9)	30.6 (8)		0.87
Gender
Male	11 (16.2)	26 (18.6)	0.21	0.64
Female	57 (83.8)	114 (81.4)
BMI	25.1 (5)	24.2 (4.4)		0.2
Energy intake	2,390 (587)	2,480.2 (821.5)		0.93
Smoking
Yes	4 (5.8)	10 (7)	0.13	0.71
No	64 (94.2)	130 (93)
Vitamin D supplement
Yes	12 (17.6)	30 (21)	0.18	0.66
No	56 (82.3)	110 (78)
Place of birth
Tehran	36 (52.9)	69 (49.3)	0.34	0.55
Others	32 (47.1)	71 (50.7)
Season of birth
Spring	26 (38.2)	41 (30.4)
Summer	11 (16.2)	50 (37.0)	11.00	0.01
Autumn	17 (25)	18 (13.3)
Winter	14 (20.6)	26 (19.3)
Cow milk consumption (within 2 first years of life)
Yes	2 (2.9)	18 (12.9)	5.17	0.02
No	66 (97.1)	122 (87.1)

Table 1. Characteristics of Subjects in a Case-Control Study of MS, Iran

Characteristics

MS patients

Controls

Pearson Chi-square

P value

Number

140

Age (years)

30.4 (9)

30.6 (8)

0.87

Gender

Male

11 (16.2)

26 (18.6)

0.21

0.64

Female

57 (83.8)

114 (81.4)

BMI

25.1 (5)

24.2 (4.4)

0.2

Energy intake

2,390 (587)

2,480.2 (821.5)

0.93

Smoking

Yes

4 (5.8)

10 (7)

0.13

0.71

64 (94.2)

130 (93)

Vitamin D supplement

Yes

12 (17.6)

30 (21)

0.18

0.66

56 (82.3)

110 (78)

Place of birth

Tehran

36 (52.9)

69 (49.3)

0.34

0.55

Others

32 (47.1)

71 (50.7)

Season of birth

Spring

26 (38.2)

41 (30.4)

Summer

11 (16.2)

50 (37.0)

11.00

0.01

Autumn

17 (25)

18 (13.3)

Winter

14 (20.6)

26 (19.3)

Cow milk consumption (within 2 first years of life)

Yes

2 (2.9)

18 (12.9)

5.17

0.02

66 (97.1)

122 (87.1)

**Table 2.** Factor Loading Matrix for the Nutrients Representing the Four Major Nutrient Patterns in Case-Control Study of MS, Iran*
Factor 4	Factor 3	Factor 2	Factor 1	Nutrient
*Absolute values of < 0.2 are not shown in the table for simplicity.
-	-	-	0.944	Thiamin (vitamin B1)
-	-	-	0.908	Selenium
-	0.256	-	0.847	Niacin (vitamin B3)
0.301	0.218	0.265	0.822	Cupper
0.345	0.214	0.552	0.665	Magnesium
0.235	0.204	0.865	0.259	Riboflavin (vitamin b2)
0.274	-	0.830	0.308	Calcium
-	-	0.761	-	Vitamin D
	0.293	0.657	0.585	Zinc
-	0.429	0.597	-	Linolenic acid
-	-	0.360	-	Caffeine
-	-	-	-	Docosa hexaenoic acid (DHA)
-	0.952	-	-	Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)
-	0.916	0.260	-	Mono nu saturated fatty acid (MUFA)
0.230	0.822	-	0.230	Alpha tocopherol
-	0.669	0.580	-	Saturated fatty acid (SFA)
0.251	0.468	-	0.296	Vitamin E
0.925	-	-	-	Beta carotene
0.900	-	0.248	-	Vitamin A
0.545	-	-	0.281	Vitamin C

Table 2. Factor Loading Matrix for the Nutrients Representing the Four Major Nutrient Patterns in Case-Control Study of MS, Iran*

Factor 4

Factor 3

Factor 2

Factor 1

Nutrient

*Absolute values of < 0.2 are not shown in the table for simplicity.

0.944

Thiamin (vitamin B1)

0.908

Selenium

0.256

0.847

Niacin (vitamin B3)

0.301

0.218

0.265

0.822

Cupper

0.345

0.214

0.552

0.665

Magnesium

0.235

0.204

0.865

0.259

Riboflavin (vitamin b2)

0.274

0.830

0.308

Calcium

0.761

Vitamin D

0.293

0.657

0.585

Zinc

0.429

0.597

Linolenic acid

0.360

Caffeine

Docosa hexaenoic acid (DHA)

0.952

Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)

0.916

0.260

Mono nu saturated fatty acid (MUFA)

0.230

0.822

0.230

Alpha tocopherol

0.669

0.580

Saturated fatty acid (SFA)

0.251

0.468

0.296

Vitamin E

0.925

Beta carotene

0.900

0.248

Vitamin A

0.545

0.281

Vitamin C

**Table 3.** Selected Participants’ Characteristics According to Nutrient Pattern Scores in Case-Control Study of MS, Iran
	BMI (kg/m²)	Total energy intake (kcal/day)	Season of birth %	Cow milk consumption within 2 first years of life	Vitamin D supplement
Factor 1
Low	24.8	0.48	2069	53.81	31.4	31.4	22.9	14.3	90.6	9.4	79.2	20.8
High	24.2	0.41	2910	95.44	35.4	28.3	11.1	25.3	90.3	9.7	79.6	20.4
P value	0.68	< 0.001	0.05	0.94	0.94
Factor 2
Low	24.1	0.42	2254	92.51	36.2	25.7	18.1	20	88.7	11.3	83	17
High	24.9	0.48	2719	74.52	30.3	34.3	16.2	19.2	92.2	7.8	75.7	24.3
P value	0.12	< 0.001	0.58	0.38	0.19
Factor 3
Low	24.6	0.35	2187	74.98	33.3	30.1	17.9	18.7	92.8	7.2	82.4	17.6
High	24.4	0.60	2925	85.00	33.3	29.6	16	21	86.9	13.1	75	25
P value	0.29	< 0.001	0.97	0.15	0.19
Factor 4
Low	24.2	0.42	2374	96.2	33	23.3	19.4	24.3	94.3	5.7	82.9	17.1
High	24.8	0.48	2594	75.5	33.7	36.9	14.9	14.9	86.5	13.5	76	24
P value	0.52	0.007	0.11	0.057	0.21

Table 3. Selected Participants’ Characteristics According to Nutrient Pattern Scores in Case-Control Study of MS, Iran

BMI (kg/m²)

Total energy intake (kcal/day)

Season of birth %

Cow milk consumption within 2 first years of life

Vitamin D supplement

Mean

SEM

Mean

SEM

Spring %

Summer %

Autumn %

Winter %

No %

Yes %

No %

Yes %

Factor 1

Low

24.8

0.48

2069

53.81

31.4

22.9

14.3

90.6

9.4

79.2

20.8

High

24.2

0.41

2910

95.44

35.4

28.3

11.1

25.3

90.3

9.7

79.6

20.4

P value

0.68

< 0.001

0.05

0.94

Factor 2

Low

24.1

0.42

2254

92.51

36.2

25.7

18.1

88.7

11.3

High

24.9

0.48

2719

74.52

30.3

34.3

16.2

19.2

92.2

7.8

75.7

24.3

P value

0.12

< 0.001

0.58

0.38

0.19

Factor 3

Low

24.6

0.35

2187

74.98

33.3

30.1

17.9

18.7

92.8

7.2

82.4

17.6

High

24.4

0.60

2925

85.00

33.3

29.6

86.9

13.1

P value

0.29

< 0.001

0.97

0.15

0.19

Factor 4

Low

24.2

0.42

2374

96.2

23.3

19.4

24.3

94.3

5.7

82.9

17.1

High

24.8

0.48

2594

75.5

33.7

36.9

14.9

86.5

13.5

P value

0.52

0.007

0.11

0.057

0.21

**Table 4.** MS Risk Associated With Nutrient Pattern Scores in a Case-Control Study of MS, Iran
	Controls (n)	Cases (n)	Crude OR (CI)	P value	Adjusted OR (CI)*	P value
*Total energy intake, season of birth, consumption of cow milk in childhood, were included in the regression models as covariates.
Factor 1
Low	69	37	1.00 (ref)		1.00 (ref)
High	71	31	0.84 (0.47 - 1.49)	0.55	0.63 (0.26 - 1.53)	0.31
Factor 2
Low	61	44	1.00 (ref)		1.00 (ref)
High	79	24	041 (0.22 - 0.74)	0.004	0.25 (0.11 - 0.58)	0.001
Factor 3
Low	83	41	1.00 (ref)		1.00
High	57	27	0.93 (0.51 - 1.68)	0.82	0.80 (0.35 - 1.81)	0.60
Factor 4
Low	61	43	1.00 (ref)		1.00 (ref)
High	79	25	0.43 (0.24 - 0.79)	0.007	0.43 (0.21 - 0.87)	0.02

Table 4. MS Risk Associated With Nutrient Pattern Scores in a Case-Control Study of MS, Iran

Controls (n)

Cases (n)

Crude OR (CI)

P value

Adjusted OR (CI)*

P value

*Total energy intake, season of birth, consumption of cow milk in childhood, were included in the regression models as covariates.

Factor 1

Low

1.00 (ref)

High

0.84 (0.47 - 1.49)

0.55

0.63 (0.26 - 1.53)

0.31

Factor 2

Low

1.00 (ref)

High

041 (0.22 - 0.74)

0.004

0.25 (0.11 - 0.58)

0.001

Factor 3

Low

1.00 (ref)

1.00

High

0.93 (0.51 - 1.68)

0.82

0.80 (0.35 - 1.81)

0.60

Factor 4

Low

1.00 (ref)

High

0.43 (0.24 - 0.79)

0.007

0.43 (0.21 - 0.87)

0.02