Dietary and Lifestyle Interventions Improve QOL Outcomes in Patients With RRMS

A dietary and lifestyle therapeutic intervention improved perceived quality of life (QOL) outcomes among patients newly diagnosed with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) or relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to study results presented at the 2023 Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) Annual Meeting, held from May 31 to June 3 in Aurora, Colorado.

Previous studies have indicated that diet and lifestyle interventions are associated with improvements to QOL and fatigue among patients with MS; however, it remains unclear whether patients who are disease modifying therapy (DMT)-naive also glean similar benefits from these interventions.

For this 12-month prospective study, researchers recruited patients (N=44) with newly diagnosed CIS or RRMS who voluntarily declined DMTs (n=29) or received standard care with DMTs (n=15). The patients who declined DMT were enrolled in a telehealth-based behavioral diet and therapeutic lifestyle intervention, which prioritized stress reduction and exercise and included an initial and monthly group meetings with a dietician. The study outcomes were the changes in Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 (MSQOL-54), Functional Systems Score (FSS), and Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) scores.

Compared with baseline, significant improvements to the MSQOL-54 physical health scores were observed for the standard care (mean difference [MD], 0.12±0.05; P =.049), but not the behavioral diet intervention (MD, 0.05±0.05; P =.352) cohorts at 12 months. Conversely, significant improvements to the MSQOL-54 physical health scores were observed for the behavioral diet intervention (MD, 0.24±0.12; P =.044), but not the standard care (MD, 0.26±0.15; P =.078) cohorts.

Total MFIS scores improved from baseline to 12 months among patients in the behavioral diet intervention (MD, -7.26±3.10; P =.019), but not those in the standard care intervention (MD, -7.48±4.36; P =.086).

No significant changes in FSS scores were observed and no between-group differences reached significance in this study.

The major limitation of this study was the small sample sizes.

“Diet and lifestyle therapeutic intervention may have a similar effect on perceived QOL and fatigue as the standard of care that includes DMTs for people newly diagnosed as having CIS or RRMS; however, the impact of diet and lifestyle on disease severity and progression remains unknown,” the researchers concluded.

Disclosures: One study author declared affiliations with biotech, pharmaceutical, and/or device companies. Please see the original reference for a full list of disclosures.