Publications by authors named "Kassandra Munger"
Article Synopsis
- Understanding the connection between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis (MS) remains challenging, focusing on why only some infected individuals develop the disease.
- The study aimed to analyze the immune response to EBV peptides in individuals before they showed MS symptoms, seeing if a distinct immune reaction correlates with the disease onset.
- Results indicated that people with MS had a stronger overall antibody response to EBV peptides, particularly those related to EBNA antigens, although specific patterns varied.
Smoking and multiple sclerosis risk in black people: A nested case-control study.
Mult Scler Relat Disord
January 2024
Background: Smoking is a well-established risk factor for MS; however, it is not known whether its effect on disease risk varies by race/ethnicity.
Methods: We conducted a nested case-control study among US military personnel who have serum samples stored at the Department of Defense Serum Repository. We measured serum cotinine levels, a marker of tobacco smoke exposure, in 157 Black and 23 White individuals who developed MS during follow-up.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigated the link between COVID-19 severity and vitamin D levels using data from various Danish health records and blood samples.
- It found that lower levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) were connected to a higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, with deficient vitamin D individuals being significantly more at risk.
- The research suggests exploring the potential therapeutic benefits of vitamin D through further interventional studies to confirm its role in COVID-19 severity.
Article Synopsis
- A prodrome refers to the early signs or symptoms of a disease that appear before the main symptoms emerge, and is recognized in various conditions like Parkinson's and type 1 diabetes.
- Recent findings suggest that multiple sclerosis (MS) also has a prodromal stage, which presents an opportunity for early intervention to potentially prevent or delay the onset of classical MS.
- There is still much to learn about the prodromal stage of MS, so more research is necessary to establish clear criteria for identifying individuals at high risk for developing MS, which could aid in future treatment trials.
A growing body of work points toward the existence of a clinically symptomatic prodromal phase in multiple sclerosis (MS) that might span 5-10 years or more. A prodrome is an early set of signs or symptoms predating the onset of classical disease, which in turn predates a definitive diagnosis. Evidence for a prodromal phase in MS could have major implications for prevention, earlier recognition and treatment, as well as an improved disease course or prognosis.
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- MS is a chronic disease affecting the central nervous system, and researchers investigated whether Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a potential cause in a study of over 10 million US military personnel.
- The study found that individuals who were infected with EBV had a 32-fold increased risk of developing MS compared to those infected with other viruses, including cytomegalovirus.
- Additionally, levels of neurofilament light chain, which indicates nerve damage, only increased after individuals became infected with EBV, supporting the idea that EBV may be a primary factor in causing MS.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the link between obesity and the progression from clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) to multiple sclerosis (MS) in patients.
- Findings indicate that obese patients are 39% more likely to transition to MS and experience a 59% higher relapse rate compared to those of normal weight.
- However, obesity did not significantly affect sustained progression or MRI outcomes, except for a noted greater reduction in brain volume among obese smokers.
Background: Previous studies showed conflicting results on the association between maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and type 1 diabetes in the offspring, and the role of maternal prepregnancy physical activity is unclear. We aimed to assess whether maternal prepregnancy BMI and physical activity predict type 1 diabetes in their offspring.
Methods: Prospective study including women participating in the Nurses' Health Study II with follow-up from 1989 to 2011.
Background: It is unknown how individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) age compared to unaffected peers.
Objectives: The objective of the study is to describe the impact of MS on health and functioning in aging women.
Methods: We used 10-item Physical Functioning Scale (PF10) scores (from the Short Form-36 (SF-36)) and other indicators of general, physical, mental health, and memory collected repeatedly over 25 years with self-administered questionnaires among participants in the Nurses' Health Study ( = 121,700 recruited at ages 30-55) and Nurses' Health Study II ( = 116,429 recruited at ages 25-42) to compare women with MS ( = 733) to unaffected peers in their health and disability, and describe/quantify the burden of aging with MS.
Article Synopsis
- A study examined the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) in children born to mothers with diabetes mellitus (DM), finding a significantly higher risk for those whose mothers had pregestational DM.
- Analysis of over 1.6 million births in Denmark showed a 2.3-fold increase in MS risk for offspring of mothers with pregestational DM compared to those with non-diabetic mothers.
- No significant risk increase was noted for children of mothers with gestational DM or diabetic fathers, suggesting that the type of diabetes matters in assessing MS risk.
Background: Differences in multiple sclerosis (MS) risk by latitude have been observed worldwide; however, the exposures driving these associations are unknown. Ultraviolet radiation (UV) has been explored as a risk factor, and ambient temperature has been correlated with disease progression. However, no study has examined the impact of all three exposures.
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- The study examined the impact of vitamin D levels, smoking, and anti-EBV antibodies on cognitive health and neuroaxonal injury in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients over 11 years.
- Higher vitamin D levels were linked to better cognitive performance, while smoking was associated with poorer outcomes; specifically, a significant decrease in cognitive performance was observed in smokers.
- The anti-EBV antibody levels did not show a predictive relationship for cognitive function or neuroaxonal injury, reinforcing the significance of vitamin D and smoking status in MS patient management.
Importance: Unrecognized demyelinating events often precede the clinical onset of multiple sclerosis (MS). Identification of these events at the time of occurrence would have implications for early diagnosis and the search of causal factors for the disease.
Objective: To assess whether serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) levels are elevated before the clinical MS onset.
Objectives: Night shift work has been suggested as a possible risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS). The objective of the present analysis was to prospectively evaluate the association of rotating night shift work history and MS risk in two female cohorts, the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and NHSII.
Methods: A total of 83 992 (NHS) and 114 427 (NHSII) women were included in this analysis.
Objective: To determine whether maternal Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) IgG antibody levels are associated with risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the offspring.
Methods: We conducted a prospective nested case-control study in the Finnish Maternity Cohort (FMC) with serum samples from >800,000 women collected during pregnancy since 1983. Cases of MS among offspring born between 1983 and 1991 were identified via hospital and prescription registries; 176 cases were matched to up to 3 controls (n = 326) on region and dates of birth, sample collection, and mother's birth.
Objective: To investigate the association between mineral intake (potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, manganese, copper) and multiple sclerosis (MS) risk.
Methods: In a prospective cohort study, we assessed dietary and supplemental mineral intake by a validated food frequency questionnaire administered every 4 years to 80,920 nurses in the Nurses' Health Study (1984-2002) and 94,511 in the Nurses' Health Study II (1991-2007). There were 479 new MS cases during follow-up.
Background: Whether animal exposure and specifically the timing of such exposure alters multiple sclerosis (MS) risk is unclear. We examined whether animal exposure was associated with MS risk, and whether risk differed by the participants' age.
Methods: We conducted a case-control study within the Nurses' Health Study ((NHS)/NHSII cohorts).
Objective: To determine the association between measures of overall diet quality (dietary indices/patterns) and risk of multiple sclerosis (MS).
Methods: Over 185,000 women in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII) completed semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires every 4 years. There were 480 MS incident cases.
Objective: To examine sun exposure and multiple sclerosis (MS) over the life course (ages 5-15 and 16-20 years, every 10 years thereafter).
Methods: Cases with MS (n = 151) and age-matched controls (n = 235) from the Nurses' Health Study cohorts completed summer, winter, and lifetime sun exposure history questionnaires. Cumulative ambient ultraviolet (UV)-B (based on latitude, altitude, cloud cover) exposure before MS onset was expressed as tertiles.
Objective: To determine whether and to what extent vitamin D deficiency is associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) risk.
Methods: We conducted a prospective nested case-control study among women in the Finnish Maternity Cohort (FMC). The FMC had 1.
Objective: To prospectively investigate the association between dietary sodium intake and multiple sclerosis (MS) risk.
Methods: In this cohort study, we assessed dietary sodium intake by a validated food frequency questionnaire administered every 4 years to 80,920 nurses in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) (1984-2002) and to 94,511 in the Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII) (1991-2007), and calibrated it using data from a validation study. There were 479 new MS cases during follow-up.