(July 13, 2009 - Insidermedicine) Smokers with multiple sclerosis (MS) may experience a more rapid progression of their disease than those who have never smoked, according to research published in the Archives of Neurology.

Here is some information about MS:

•    It is a condition affecting myelin, a protective covering that coats many nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord.

•    It causes a disruption in the electrical impulses that normally pass along these nerve fibers

•    Symptoms include vision disturbances, fatigue, loss of balance, and problems with movement and coordination

Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital followed nearly 1,500 adults with MS for an average of more than three years to see how their disease progressed. Among these patients, 53% had never smoked, 30% were ex-smokers, and 17.5% were current smokers.

Smokers had more severe MS than those who had never smoked, based both on clinical characteristics as well as MRI. During the follow-up period, MS progressed more rapidly in the smokers and was also more likely to convert from a relatively less severe form of the disease to a more severe form compared with those who had never smoked.

Today's research demonstrates how smoking can worsen the progression of MS.

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.