Study Links Smoking to Rapid MS Progression

An article in the Fall, 2009 issue of Injuryboard Magazine references a new study published in the Archives of Neurology suggesting that smoking can increase the progression of multiple sclerosis.  A group of 891 patients were tracked for three years to identify how many changed from relapse-remitting MS to secondary progressive MS.

The study concluded that conversion from relapse-remitting MS to secondary progressive MS occurred faster in current smokers compared with those who had never smoked.  Significantly the conversion rates were similar between those who had never smoked and those who had given up smoking.

One of the study authors, Dr. Alberto Ascherio of the Harvard School of Public Health suggests that quitting smoking can help delay the progression of this disease.

The study also confirmed prior studies which had concluded that cigarette smokers are at a higher risk for developing MS.

If you are an MS patient with a pending disability claim, you should expect the judge hearing your claim to ask you if you smoke.   If you are not yet able to testify that you have quit, it can help to report that you are enrolled in a stop-smoking program.  Judges like to see claimants who are trying to help themselves.  If you smoke and show no interest in quitting you can expect a less than sympathetic response from your judge.