A new study explored the differences between vascular and chronological age in people with multiple sclerosis. With an unexpected result.

The research aimed to better understand how vascular health affects the aging process in people living with this condition.

Study Design and Methods
The study involved 274 participants and sought to uncover whether multiple sclerosis is linked to an accelerated vascular aging process.

Researchers focused on key factors such as body mass index, physical activity, and the presence of comorbidities like high blood pressure and diabetes, all of which are known to affect vascular health. They calculated participants' vascular age based on their cholesterol levels, smoking habits, and systolic blood pressure.

The participants were categorized into five groups based on their cardiovascular health, ranging from those without any cardiovascular diseases to those with coronary artery disease. Blood samples were taken to analyze lipid profiles, and data was gathered through questionnaires.

Key Findings
The results showed a significant difference between chronological age and vascular age. On average, people with multiple sclerosis had a higher vascular age than their actual age. The group with the highest vascular age also showed the greatest discrepancy between chronological and vascular age.

Several factors, such as body mass index, physical activity, disability status, and the presence of type 2 diabetes, were linked to the largest differences between these two ages. These factors contributed to nearly one-quarter of the variations observed.

Conclusion and Implications
This study highlights how vascular health is affected by multiple sclerosis and associated conditions. People with higher cardiovascular risk factors, including type 2 diabetes and obesity, experience an accelerated aging of their vascular system.

The findings suggest that managing these comorbidities through lifestyle changes and medical treatment could help slow vascular aging and disability progression in people with multiple sclerosis.

Managing cardiovascular risk factors could be a key strategy in improving overall health outcomes for people with multiple sclerosis.

About the scientific paper:
First author: Gorica D, Maric, Serbia
Published in: PLoS ONE, November 2024
Link to paper: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0311117