{"title":"Lessons from the past: failed MS trials.","authors":"A Chan, R Gold","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"14 1","pages":"3-4"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"26729082","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Diagnosing MS: recent guidelines and future goals focusing on magnetic resonance imaging.","authors":"J M Nielsen, T Korteweg, C H Polman","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Previous diagnostic guidelines for MS relied largely on clinical evidence and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. In 2001, guidelines were published that allowed partial substitution of the required clinical evidence by magnetic resonance imaging findings and defined primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). Recently, revised guidelines on MS diagnosis were published, mainly to improve definitions of dissemination in space (using spinal cord imaging) and in time (using T2 lesions), enabling a faster and more accurate MS diagnosis. Criteria for PPMS were also revised. Current research is concentrating on the definition of uniform clinical terms, to allow a more standardized diagnosis, and aims to simplify the criteria while improving diagnostic accuracy.</p>","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"14 1","pages":"29-34"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"26728997","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Early MS treatment.","authors":"M Tintoré","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Evidence from research suggests that many patients with clinically isolated syndromes or early MS should be treated with disease-modifying drugs at an early stage. Certainly, when continuing disease activity has been demonstrated clinically or by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the need to initiate treatment is clear. Studies supporting early treatment rely on evidence which shows that the experiences of the first few years are likely to impact on the long-term evolution of the disease. The decision to start treatment should be made jointly by the patient and the physician after reviewing the existing evidence. While MRI can be used to determine who will benefit most from treatment, the use of other biological markers needs to be confirmed in different settings before they can be used in clinical practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"14 1","pages":"5-10"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"26729084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"What is new in symptom management?","authors":"T Henze","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Many people with MS suffer from severe and disabling symptoms that restrict their social and private lives, and hence affect their quality of life; it is, therefore, essential that any symptoms that they experience are reduced effectively. Symptomatic treatment should also aim to prevent secondary complications that may result from existing disabilities. Since many MS patients are unaware that some of their complaints may be attributable to MS, e.g. fatigue, sexual dysfunction, pain or dysphagia, all patients should be thoroughly questioned about all healthcare issues and the results must be documented. In recent months, several studies about the treatment of important MS symptoms--like spasticity, pain, fatigue, bladder and sexual dysfunction, depression and cognitive impairment--have been published; this article will briefly summarize and discuss some of these treatments.</p>","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"14 1","pages":"22-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"26728994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy in the era of natalizumab: a review and discussion of the implications.","authors":"J E Greenlee","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy (PML) is an opportunistic demyelinating infection of immunocompromised patients, caused by the human polyomavirus, JC virus. Prior to 2005, PML had not been described in patients with MS. In early 2005, however, two cases of PML were reported in patients with MS treated with the alpha-antegrin inhibitor, natalizumab. A third case was subsequently described in a patient with Crohn's disease who had also received the agent. These three cases resulted in withdrawal of natalizumab from the market and have had major implications for its reintroduction into clinical use. In this review, we discuss current knowledge concerning PML and its causative agent, the possible role of natalizumab in initiating PML in patients with MS, and the challenges posed by the risk of this infection as the drug returns to clinical use.</p>","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"13 3","pages":"100-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"26361116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Editorial: the pitfalls of combination therapy.","authors":"Patrick Vermersch","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"13 3","pages":"75-6"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"26419951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Patient-reported Outcome Measures in Multiple Sclerosis.","authors":"A Riazi","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures are being used more frequently in epidemiological studies, health service research and in clinical trials to evaluate therapeutic interventions from the patient's perspective. In MS, where evaluations of treatments are becoming increasingly important, outcome measures that are rigorous and appropriate to patients are needed. This article examines the value of PRO measures in MS and the criteria of evaluating such measures, and provides a brief description of MS-specific PRO measures that are currently available.</p>","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"13 3","pages":"92-9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"26361115","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Unusual clinical cases that mimic MS.","authors":"Damacio Ramon Kaimen-Maciel, Dagoberto Callegaro","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Diseases which are associated with relapses and disability accumulation that mimic MS may be effectively treated if they are appropriately diagnosed. Unfortunately, however, it can be easy to assume that a patient is presenting with unusual symptoms of MS rather than establish unequivocally that there is no other cause. This article illustrates five short cases from a selection presented at the MS Forum Interactive Symposium at the LACTRIMS Congress, Brazil, 2004. These cases feature the differential diagnosis of MS and illustrate the importance of early and accurate diagnosis. Each case has clinical features suggestive of MS, together with diagnostic findings that are discordant with this disease. Clinical features that can easily be interpreted as unusual MS presentations, but which indicate the need to undertake additional investigation, are included.</p>","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"13 3","pages":"77-83"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"26419952","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"B-cells in multiple sclerosis.","authors":"M Duddy, A Bar-Or","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>B-cells may be involved at many levels in the pathogenesis of MS, starting from the earliest stage of antigen capture, continuing through the processes of tissue damage and even extending through to remyelination and repair. Recent advances in our understanding of normal B-cell biology and abnormal regulation of their functions in relation to the pathology of MS are discussed in this review. Current treatments already target B-cell responses; consequently, this effect may be one explanation for the efficacy of these treatments in some types of MS. The results of specific anti-B-cell therapies are awaited. Even if success is limited, it is possible that targeting this important group of cells, whether as antigen-presenting cells, as regulators of immune responses or as antibody-secreting cells, will form at least part of more successful treatment strategies in the future.</p>","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"13 3","pages":"84-90"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"26419953","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Infections in MS: beneficial or harmful?","authors":"Mireia Sospedra","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"13 2","pages":"39-40"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25991856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}