| خلاصه مقاله | Meta-Analysis on the Effect of the Mediterranean Diet on Multiple Sclerosis Incidence Rate
Introduction
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS). The Mediterranean diet (MD) has gained attention for its potential health benefits and has been researched for its effect on MS risk. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effect of the MD on the incidence rate of MS.
Search Strategy
A thorough search of electronic databases was conducted up until February 2024 in order to find potentially relevant papers. Studies assessing the effects of a Mediterranean diet in MS risk which were not animal studies, non-English, reviews, letters, editorials, were included. The selected studies were subjected to rigorous quality assessment and data extraction. Finally, three studies which categorized the results of the Mediterranean diet questionnaire into 3 groups were included in meta-analysis.
Results
There were two subgroups within the study; the second group was compared with the first one in one of them and there was a comparison between third and first group in another. Tertile 2 vs tertile 1 didn’t present a significant association with MS risk (OR = 0.690, 95% CI : 0.425 – 1.119, p- Value = 0.133, I2 = 74.8%), but Tertile 3 vs 1 revealed a significant association with the risk of MS (OR = 0.275, 95% CI : 0.106 – 0.716, p-Value = 0.008, I2 = 0%).
Conclusion and Discussion
This meta-analysis provides strong evidence supporting the beneficial effect of the Mediterranean diet in reducing the incidence rate of MS. Adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern may serve as a potential preventive strategy for individuals at risk of developing MS. Further research, including prospective studies and randomized controlled trials, is warranted to validate these findings and explore the underlying mechanisms. The
results of this meta-analysis have important implications for public health strategies aimed at reducing the burden of MS. |