Current Treatments
BETASERON® (interferon beta-1b) is indicated for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis to reduce the frequency of clinical exacerbations. Patients with multiple sclerosis in whom efficacy has been demonstrated include patients who have experienced a first clinical episode and have MRI features consistent with multiple sclerosis

AVONEX® (Interferon beta-1a) is a 166 amino acid glycoprotein with a predicted molecular weight of approximately 22,500 daltons. It is produced by recombinant DNA technology using genetically engineered Chinese Hamster Ovary cells into which the human interferon beta gene has been introduced. The amino acid sequence of AVONEX® is identical to that of natural human interferon beta.

COPAXONE is the brand name for glatiramer acetate (formerly known as copolymer-1). Glatiramer acetate, the active ingredient of COPAXONE, consists of the acetate salts of synthetic polypeptides, containing four naturally occurring amino acids: L-glutamic acid, L-alanine, L-tyrosine, and L-lysine with an average molar fraction of 0.141, 0.427, 0.095, and 0.338, respectively. The average molecular weight of glatiramer acetate is 5,000 – 9,000 daltons. Glatiramer acetate is identified by specific antibodies.

Rebif® (interferon beta-1a) is a purified 166 amino acid glycoprotein with a molecular weight of approximately 22,500 daltons. It is produced by recombinant DNA technology using genetically engineered Chinese Hamster Ovary cells into which the human interferon beta gene has been introduced. The amino acid sequence of Rebif® is identical to that of natural fibroblast derived human interferon beta. Natural interferon beta and interferon beta-1a (Rebif®) are glycosylated with each containing a single N-linked complex carbohydrate moiety.

Tysabri is a monoclonal antibody that affects the actions of the body's immune system. Monoclonal antibodies are made to target and destroy only certain cells in the body. This may help to protect healthy cells from damage. Tysabri is used to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. 		Gilenya™ is a new class of medication called a phingosine 1-phosphate receptormodulator, which is thought to act by retaining certain white blood cells (lympohcytes) in the lymph nodes, thereby preventing those cells from crossing the blood-brain barrier into the central nervous system (CNS). Preventing the entry of these cells into the CNS reduces inflammatory damage to nerve cells.

Early Symptoms
The most common early symptoms of MS include:
* Tingling * Numbness
* Loss of balance
* Weakness in one or more limbs
* Blurred or double vision

Less common symptoms of MS may include
* Slurred speech
* Sudden onset of paralysis
* Lack of coordination
* Cognitive difficulties
Listed above, the early symptoms. I tend to be a poster child for these. The symptoms that occur later on are too numerous just to list. There will be a link included that will get you to a site where these symptoms are listed and explained. Keep in mind that someone may have some of these or many of these, there is no way to tell.
Multiple sclerosis statistics show that approximately 250,000 to 350,000 people in the United States have been diagnosed with this disease. The life expectancy for people with multiple sclerosis is nearly the same as for those without MS. Because of this, multiple sclerosis statistics place the annual cost of MS in the United States in the billions of dollars. MS is five times more prevalent in temperate climates -- such as those found in the northern United States, Canada, and Europe -- than in tropical regions. Furthermore, the age of 15 seems to be significant in terms of risk for developing the disease. Some studies indicate that a person moving from a high-risk (temperate) to a low-risk (tropical) area before the age of 15 tends to adopt the risk (in this case, low) of the new area and vice versa. Other studies suggest that people moving after age 15 maintain the risk of the area where they grew up.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Oct 06, 2009




Research into Blood Flow In the Brain and Venous Insufficiency, or CCSVI, in MS


A few recent reports have revived ages-old speculation about a possible dysfunction of brain blood flow and/or drainage in individuals who have MS. For example, one study involving 65 people with different types of MS compared with 235 people who were healthy or had other neurological disorders, a strong relationship was found between MS and signs of venous insufficiency – suggesting that blood drainage by veins may be blocked, causing or contributing to nerve tissue damage. This study, by Paulo Zamboni, MD (University of Ferrara - Ferrara, Italy) and colleagues, was published in the June 2009 (J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2009; 80:392-399). If confirmed, these findings may open up new research avenues into the underlying pathology of MS. Further research is now underway.

The idea that MS may involve a problem in blood circulation was an early idea that was eventually dismissed as more research suggested that immune-system attacks and inflammation played a pivotal role in the damage to nervous system tissues. A few recent studies have posed the idea that lower blood flow in the brain might contribute to nervous system damage.

In the recent study by Dr. Zamboni and colleagues, they screened for abnormalities of blood outflow in major veins draining from the brain to the heart in 65 people with different types of MS, compared with 235 people who were either healthy or who had other neurological disorders. They used sophisticated sonography techniques to detect abnormalities of vein drainage. The investigators found significant evidence of slowed and obstructed drainage in the veins draining the brain in many of those with MS. They also found evidence of the opening of “substitute circles” – where the flow is deviated to smaller vessels to bypass obstructions, and these were often found to have reverse flow (reflux) of blood back into the brain.

The investigators called this venous obstruction “chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency,” or CCSVI. The treatment status of the people with MS did not appear to influence whether they showed signs of CCSVI. The authors speculate that the reverse flow of blood back into the brain might set off the inflammation and immune-mediated damage that has been well described in MS.

If confirmed, these findings may open up new research avenues into the underlying pathology of MS, and further research is now underway. One study getting underway was described at the 2009 ECTRIMS meeting in September. It involves a collaboration between researchers in Italy, Buffalo (NY) and Birmingham (AL) who are attempting to treat venous obstruction in 16 individuals using balloon dilation such as has been used for many years to treat blocked arteries.

Many questions remain about how and when this phenomenon might play a role in nervous system damage seen in MS, and at the present time there is insufficient evidence to suggest that this phenomenon is the cause of MS.

Frequently Asked Questions About CCSVI and MS

Q: Do these reports of a possible association between insufficient vein drainage and MS mean that MS is caused by venous insufficiency?
A: No. Based on results published about these findings to date, there is not enough evidence to say that obstruction of veins causes MS, or to determine when this obstruction may occur in the course of disease.

Q: If CCSVI turns out to be important in MS, can it be treated?
A: No one knows yet. At least one small study is testing the effects of balloon dilation inside an obstructed vein to determine whether that procedure would be beneficial.

Q: I have MS. Should I be tested for signs of CCSVI?
A: No, unless you are involved in a research study exploring this phenomenon, since at this time there is no proven therapy to resolve any abnormalities that might be observed, and it is still not clear whether relieving venous obstructions would be beneficial.

Q: Does CCSVI make the standard treatments of MS meaningless?
A: No. There is ample evidence proving that the FDA-approved therapies for MS provide benefit for people with most forms of MS.

Q: Will the National MS Society fund research into CCSVI in MS?
A: The National MS Society welcomes research proposals from any qualified investigators whose research questions are relevant to multiple sclerosis. All proposals received are thoroughly evaluated for their relevance and excellence by our volunteer scientific peer review panels. At the present time, we have not been approached for funding any projects related to CCSVI. If we receive a proposal related to CCSVI that is found to be outstanding and relevant to MS, we would likely commit to fund such a study.







Published Online First: 5 December 2008. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2008.157164
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry 2009;80:392-399
Copyright © 2009 by the BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.
Posted by Steve at Friday, October 09, 2009

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About Me

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North Grafton, Massachusetts, United States
Well-educated, disabled at this point with Multiple Sclerosis. I am very glad that I was able to do the things that I have been able to do over the years. had to change the picture, this one's more realistic.