Columns The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Scooter-User Falls, Aggressive Treatment, and Brain Inflammation MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Scooter-User Falls, Aggressive Treatment, and Brain Inflammation by Ed Tobias | October 2, 2017 Share this article: Share article via email Copy article link Falls Common Among Wheelchair, Scooter Users in People with MS, Study Reports It’s happened to me. I’ve gone over backwardĀ when I tried to “gun” the throttle of my lightweight scooter when its rear wheels were up against a door threshold. And my heavier scooter can have a tendency to tip to one side if I lean too far in that direction. But this study reports falls that are related to walking, reaching, and other off-scooter/wheelchair activities, which leads me to wonder if these falls are a case of “use it or lose it.” The majority of people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) who use wheelchairs or scooters for mobility reported falling at least once over a six-month period, according to a new study. While most studies have focused on ambulatory MS patients, this may be the first study to assess the prevalence and circumstances of falls among those who already experience significant mobility issues and require the use of wheelchairs or scooters to get around. Findings of the study, āFall prevalence in people with multiple sclerosis who use wheelchairs and scooters,ā were published in the journalĀ Medicine. **** US, UK Researchers Collaborate on $10.6M Study to Improve Treatment Regimens for MS Patients What’s the best way to treat someone who’s newly diagnosed with MS? Do you jump in quickly with the strongest possible disease-modifying treatment, hoping to block progression right away despite the possible risks, or do you escalate up from less-powerful to more-powerful drugs? That’s what these researchers hope to determine. Researchers at the University of Nottingham and neurologists at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust in England will be working with a team from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio to better understand the best therapeutic strategy for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The $10.6 million international clinical trial was one ofĀ five selected projects that received an award from the nonprofit Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). A key goal of all the projects is to improve knowledge about therapies to help doctors and MS patients choose the treatment options that best meet patientsā needs while considering the priorities of the MS community. **** Active Brain Inflammation Helps Cause Anxiety, Depression in RRMS Patients, Study Finds Anxious? Depressed? This study reports that for MS patients, there may be a physical reason in the brain. That information means there may be better treatment available for those symptoms. On the other hand, the symptoms may provide an early warning of inflammation. Active brain inflammation appears to be one of the causes driving anxiety and depression in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), finds an Italian study published in the journal Neurology. RRMS is the most common form of the disease when patients are initially diagnosed. Multiple sclerosis patients are often diagnosed with mood disorders. This is not only because of the burden of the disease itself, but also due to neuroinflammation. Indeed, inflammation likely contributes to psychiatric disorders, including depression. **** Opioid Growth Factor May Be New Biomarker for MS Diagnosis and Progression, Study Shows Clinical trials are needed to know for sure, but it’s possible that another test for diagnosing MS may be on the horizon. This study reports that it’s non-invasive, and it has to do with the levels of opioid receptors in a patient’s blood that block pain. Opioid growth factor (OGF) can serve as a new biomarker to determine diagnosis and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS), say researchers atĀ Pennsylvania State University. Their study, āSerum [Met5]-enkephalin levels are reduced in multiple sclerosis and restored by low-dose naltrexone,ā appeared in the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine. *** Note:Ā Multiple Sclerosis News TodayĀ is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those ofĀ Multiple Sclerosis News Today, or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis. Print This Page About the Author Ed Tobias People say to write what you know and Ed Tobias knows about MS. He's lived with the illness since 1980, when he was 32 years old. Ed's a retired, award-winning broadcast journalist and his column combines his four decades of MS experiences with news and comments about the latest in the MS community. In addition to writing his column, Ed is one of the patient moderators on the MS News Today Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram sites. Heās also the author of āThe Multiple Sclerosis Toolbox: Hints and Tips for Living with M.S.ā Ed and his wife split their time between the Washington, D.C. suburbs and Floridaās Gulf Coast, trying to follow the sun. Tags brain inflammation, disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), falls Comments Leave a comment Fill in the required fields to post. Your email address will not be published. Your Name Your Email Your Comment Post Comment
April 19, 2024 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD AAN 2024: Long-term data support early Kesimpta start in relapsing MS
April 18, 2024 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Learning how to write a ‘SOAP’ note feels different after an MS diagnosis
April 18, 2024 News by Marisa Wexler, MS AAN 2024: Sustained myelin, nerve cell gains with long-term CNM-Au8