MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: aHSCT and Fatigue, What’s Hot at ECTRIMS?, Genes that May Impact MS

Lower Fatigue Reported by MS Patients After aHSCT in Canadian Study

Fatigue affects 90 percent of people with MS. It certainly impacts my life. This study, though very small, reports a 36 percent reduction in the median modified Fatigue Impact Scale (mFIS) score three years after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT). It’s one more reason to push for a day when aHSCT will be available to MS patients safely, and at a reasonable cost.

A small group of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with aggressive disease, who were treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplant in a clinical trial, reported a drop in their fatigue levels that researchers suggested was likely due to reduced inflammation.

The study, “Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation improves fatigue in multiple sclerosis,” was published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal.

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#ECTRIMS2018 – Emerging MS Treatments, from Cannabinoids to Diet, Among Highlights at Conference

The annual European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis conference takes place this week in Berlin. Among the presentations will be research into progressive forms of MS, using an ALS treatment on MS patients, and an oral cannabinoid derivative for treating spasticity.

To help bring focus to this large and important gathering, which Multiple Sclerosis News Today will cover on-site, we spoke with Bruce Bebo, PhD, executive vice president for research at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS), about ECTRIMS and the topics of particular interest to the society and the people it represents.

Want to learn more about the latest research in MS? Ask your questions in our research forum.

“This is always an exciting time of year,” Bebo said. It’s a chance to hear nearly “everything that is happening” in MS from experts “sharing the most recent work and most up-to-date results from their studies.”

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New Genetic Variants Linked to Aggressive or Benign MS Disease Course, Study Shows

Some of us with MS relapse and remit. Some go downhill very slowly while for others, MS attacks quickly and severely. This study looks at some genes that may impact which road our MS follows.

Genetic variants in the CPXM2, IGSF9B, and NLRP9 genes were found to potentially shape the disease course of multiple sclerosis and may be used as biomarkers to identify those with an aggressive or benign type of disease, a DNA sequencing study shows.

The study, “Exome sequencing study in patients with multiple sclerosis reveals variants associated with disease course,” was published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation.

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Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today 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 of Multiple Sclerosis News Today, or its parent company, Bionews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis.