Fatty acid binding protein-4 (FABP4) levels may be associated with increased disability in both men and women with multiple sclerosis (MS), independent of effects of body mass index (BMI) and other hormones, a recent study found. Subjects (18–65 years) with relapsing-remitting MS or clinically isolated syndrome and <10-year disease duration were selected from a longitudinal clinical study. Cross-sectional and longitudinal models assessed the relationship between 2 adipokines (leptin and FABP4) and disease severity in women and men, adjusting for age, disease duration and disease type, vitamin D level, testosterone level, and BMI. Mean age of subjects (n= 163, 56% women) was 39.3 years. Researchers found:

• Higher FABP4 levels were associated with higher Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores in women in both univariate and multivariate analyses.
• In men, higher FABP4 level was significantly associated with change in EDSS over time.
• There was no association of FABP4 levels with time to next relapse or a measure of processing speed.