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Tobacco Smoke Dispelled as Factor in MS Progression

GRONINGEN, Netherlands, Oct. 9 -- Smoking has been overrated as an important factor in spurring multiple sclerosis progression and disability, researchers here said.

Smoking was not associated with primary or secondary MS progression on any measures except for some weak associations with disability, found Marcus Koch, M.D., of the University Medical Center Groningen here, and colleagues, in a large cohort study in the Oct. 9 issue of Neurology.

"Our data suggest that cigarette smoking has no important influence on disease progression or the development of a progressive disease course in MS," they wrote.

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