The effect of war stress on multiple sclerosis exacerbations and radiological disease activity

Yamout, Bassem; Itani, Salam; Hourany, Roula; Sibaii, Abla Mehio; Yaghi, Shadi

doi:10.1016/j.jns.2009.10.012

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Volume 288, Issue 1 , Pages 42-44, 15 January 2010

The effect of war stress on multiple sclerosis exacerbations and radiological disease activity

Bassem Yamout
- Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut - Medical Center, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh 1107 2020, Beirut, Lebanon
Salam Itani
- Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut - Medical Center, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh 1107 2020, Beirut, Lebanon
Roula Hourany
- Department of Radiology, American University of Beirut - Medical Center, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh 1107 2020, Beirut, Lebanon
Abla Mehio Sibaii
- Department of Epidemiology and Population, American University of Beirut - Medical Center, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh 1107 2020, Beirut, Lebanon
Shadi Yaghi
- Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut - Medical Center, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh 1107 2020, Beirut, Lebanon
- Corresponding author. Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut – Medical Center, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh 1107 2020, Beirut, Lebanon. Tel.: +961 1 344042; fax: +961 1 751517.

Received 30 July 2009; received in revised form 4 September 2009; accepted 9 October 2009. published online 05 November 2009.

Abstract

Objective

The relationship between stressful life events and multiple sclerosis (MS) exacerbations or radiological disease activity is at best controversial. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between exposure to war-related events incurred during the July 2006 Israeli–Lebanese war and clinical relapses and MRI disease activity among Lebanese MS patients.

Methods

We studied a group of 216 patients with clinically definite relapsing remitting MS (RRMS), on whom clinical data was available for the war period and for the preceding and following year(s). The number of relapses was determined during the war period and during similar periods over a 3-year span. All patients with brain MRI during the war period had their scans reviewed for evidence of disease activity as defined by the presence of gadolinium enhancing (Gd+) lesions. A group of patients with brain MRI performed outside the war period was used for comparison.

Results

The total number of relapses during the war period (n=23) was significantly higher than during non-war periods (mean=8.4, SD=0.86) (p=0.006). Of the 18 patients with brain MRI during the war, 5/7 with relapses and 1/11 without relapses had Gd+ lesions (p=0.013). More patients had Gd+ lesions during the war period (33%) compared to controls (13%) (p=0.075).

Interpretation

Our study shows that exposure to war-related events is likely to lead to an increase in both clinical relapses and MRI disease activity in patients with MS.

Keywords: War stress, Multiple sclerosis, Disease activity, Exacerbations, MRI, Gadolinium enhancement