June 29, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Problems with Sense of Smell Are Worse in Primary Progressive MS Than Relapsing-Remitting Form, Study Reports Problems with sense of smell are more frequent and severe in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) than in those with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a study reports. The research, āOlfactory dysfunction in patients with primary progressive MS,ā was published in the journal Neurology: Neuroimmunology and Neuroinflammation. A distinguishing feature of RRMS, the most common form of the disease, is attacks of new or increasing neurologic symptoms, such as movement disorders, and then recovery periods. About 15 percent of patients have the primary progressive form, or PPMS. Its main feature is gradually increasing neurologic disability without recovery periods. Some scientists believe PPMS is a less inflammatory course of MS. The differences in the processes that underlie each form are not well understood, however. Several researchers think that studying differences in the two groups' ability to smell ā or olfactory dysfunction ā could shed light on these underlying processes. Autopsies of MS patients in one study showed that 71 percent had experienced demyelination, or loss of neurons, in the brain's olfactory pathway. The processes that led to this dysfunction were unclear, however. Researchers decided to test the hypothesis that olfactory impairment is more pronounced in patients with PPMS than RRMS. The team examined 32 patients with PPMS, 32 with RRMS, and 32 healthy controls. The yardstick they used to evaluate sense of smell was the olfactory Threshold Discrimination Identification (TDI) Test. It involves patients smelling 48 sniffin' sticks. In addition to an overall TDI, there were subscores on olfactory threshold, odor identification and odor discrimination. Olfactory threshold refers to the lowest concentration of an odor that a person can detect. Researchers found olfactory dysfunction in 27, or 84 percent, of the PPMS patients; 10, or 31 percent, of the RRMS patients; and 1, or 3 percent, of the healthy controls. The TDI score and all subscores were significantly worse in patients with PPMS than in the controls, when considering patients of similar age and the same sex. The TDI score was also worse in PPMS patients than in the RRMS group, after adjusting for age, sex, MS disability level, the length of time patients had the disease, and patients' ability to identify and discriminate among odors. Researchers acknowledged limitations to the study. One was the small size of the groups in the research. Another was not using magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, to measure olfactory pathway deterioration. Comparing the brain's olfactory pathway region with other brain regions in both the RRMS and PPMS groups could have shed light on the processes underlying the olfactory dysfunction differences between the two, researchers said. āThe findings suggest that olfactory dysfunction might be a surrogate of neurodegeneration in these patients," the researchers wrote. "Studies correlating olfactory function with radiologic and clinical markers of disease progression would be of interest.ā
June 29, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Poor Caregiver Mental Health Might Shorten Lifespan of MS Patients Under Their Care The stress of caring for a family member with multiple sclerosis (MS) or another neurodegenerative disease may directly affect the quality of care, according to a study showing that poor caregiver mental health causesĀ higher mortality rates among the patients they care for. The study, published in the journal Proceedings…
June 28, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD In Ongoing Phase 2 Trial, Ublituximab Seen to Effectively and Safely Deplete B-cells TG Therapeutics’ investigational treatment āĀ ublituximab (TG-1101)Ā ā led toĀ a near total depletion of B-cells in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) taking part inĀ an ongoing Phase 2 trial, the company recently announced. In addition, the company said that ublituximabĀ hadĀ anĀ infusion time as short as one hour,Ā without excessive side…
June 26, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MSAA Unveils New Print, Online Resources for Multiple Sclerosis Patients The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA)Ā has released three new resources for people withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), available for free as both printed and online versions on MSAAās website. According to a press release, the three new resources are: A cover story in the latest edition of MSAAās…
June 23, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Nurse Advocates for Shared Decision-Making to Treat MS Shared decision-making between patients and their doctors and healthcare providers was considered a critical step in the process of treatingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), according toĀ an article published in the journal Practical Neurology. The article āShared Decision-making in Multiple Sclerosis Managementā was written by Amy Perrin Ross, a board-certified…
June 20, 2017 Columns by Patricia Silva, PhD MS and Catheterization, Part 2: Outside the Hospital Catheterization training in the hospital did not prepare me for how to manage on a daily basis. In my last column, I described how I ended up in the hospital unable to urinate at all. In this column, I will cover more details about what I learned along…
June 20, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD AXIM Obtains More Financing for Its Cannabinoid Therapies for MS and Bowel Diseases AXIM BiotechnologiesĀ has secured an additional $4 million in institutional financing to advance clinical trials of itsĀ cannabinoid therapies forĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) andĀ irritable bowel syndrome. Some of the trials involve a chewing-gum therapy delivery system.Ā The financing will let the company continue developing a patented chewing-gum-delivered therapy for pain andĀ spasticity. AXIM…
June 19, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD National MS Society Highlights Diet, Lifestyle Research Focusing on Living Well With Multiple Sclerosis The National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) SocietyĀ has selectedĀ research highlightsĀ from a recent MS conferenceĀ in an effort to help make living with the disease less burdensome. Presentations from the May 24-27Ā annual meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) in New Orleans ā which ranged fromĀ advice on smartphone apps to diet…
June 16, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Tiny Particles Carrying Myelin Antigens Seen to Restore Immune Tolerance in MS Mice Model Researchers managed to change the immune system ā replacing inflammation with immune tolerance ā in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS) using so-called quantum dots, orĀ nano-sized particles carryingĀ pieces of myelin. Experiments with this advanced technological solution may helpĀ researchers design MS therapies that are based on promoting regulatory T-cells rather…
June 13, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Unpublished Data May Point to Link Between Lemtrada and Other Autoimmune Diseases in MS Patients Previously unpublished results of clinical trials of Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) appears to contain key information as toĀ why many multiple sclerosis patients who use it develop other autoimmune diseases. Researchers looked at the immune cell mix after Lemtrada depleted many of those cells. They discovered that certain B-cells repopulate the body earlier…
June 12, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD National MS Society Joins Other Groups Urging Reform of U.S. Law Protecting Disabled Airline Passengers The National Multiple Sclerosis SocietyĀ and a dozen other advocacy groups have banded together toĀ support theĀ Air Carrier Access Amendments Act of 2017, a bill seekingĀ to strengthen the rights of airline passengers and close service gaps often faced by patients with disabilities, including those with multiple sclerosis (MS).
June 12, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Maccabees Band Plans Charity Concert for the United Kingdom’s MS Society The Maccabees rock band will play an exclusive gig in London to raise funds for the United Kingdom’s MS Society, supporting the organizationās mission of trying to end multiple sclerosis. A key reason for the concert is the group’s passion about the disease. Band members Felix and Hugo White…
June 8, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD High-dose Simvastatin Improves Cognitive Function in MS, New Analysis of Trial Results Reports A high daily dose of simvastatinĀ improves multiple sclerosis patients’ cognitive function, according to a new analysis of Phase 2 clinical trial results. The British team that did the research will start a study soon on whether simvastatin, which goes by the brand name ZocorĀ and other labels, can also slow…
June 7, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Ocrevus Phase 3 Trial Will Explore How Treatment Works by Viewing Changes in Spinal Fluid Already an approved treatment for relapsing and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) is still undergoingĀ scrutiny in several clinical trials. MostĀ focus on the drugās effects in specific patient groups, but one studyĀ aims to advanceĀ understanding ofĀ how Ocrevus works to harness disease. To do so, the open-label Phase 3…
June 7, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Bringing More Minority MS Patients into Research Is Project’s Goal, Starting with 15-Minute Survey The MS Minority Research Engagement Partnership Network is calling for all multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, ages 21 and older, to respond to a 15-minute online survey. Investigators are hopingĀ to better understand how people with MS from different ethnic backgrounds and races viewĀ medical research, so as to engage them in…
June 6, 2017 by Patricia Silva, PhD MS and Catheterization, Part 1: Bladder and Urethra Malfunction Solution Catheterization was one of my biggest fears when first officially diagnosed with MS in 1994. As the years went by I thought I might be one of the few patientsĀ who do not experience malfunction in the urinary system. Then, in 2012, something changed. I went from having to…
June 6, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Ongoing Ocrevus Trials Seek More Knowledge of Treatment Effects and MS Patients’ Benefits Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), a recently approvedĀ therapy for relapsing and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS),Ā is now on the U.S. market, but research intoĀ itsĀ use is far from over. Several clinical trials, sponsored by Ocrevus’ developer Genentech or its parent company Roche, are looking at various aspectsĀ of the treatment. Multiple Sclerosis…
June 6, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Brain Damage Linked to MS Affects Ability to Interpret Others’ Emotions and Intentions, Study Reports How multiple sclerosis affects the “social brain,” whichĀ governs the ability to understand how others think and feel ā a skill called social cognition ā is linked to specific types of brain damage that occur in MS: both lesions and microscopic changes taking place in the brain’s white matter, aĀ research team…
June 5, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD FDA Approves Two Bayer Products to Help MS Patients Stay on Top of Interferon Injections The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a supplemental biologics license application for two BayerĀ products that helpĀ multiple sclerosisĀ patients keep track of their injections ofĀ Betaseron (interferon beta-1b). The products are theĀ myBETAapp and theĀ Betaconnect Navigator software.Ā A biologics license application is a request for permission to market…
June 2, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC17 – Ocrevus, Progressive MS and Other Research Highlights: An Interview with CMSC’s Robert Lisak The recent annual meeting of theĀ Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC)Ā brought researchers and healthcare professionals to New Orleans to discuss advances ā and obstacles to advances ā in multiple sclerosis (MS) research. Clinical trials, preclinical studies, basic research, and health interventions were amongĀ the May meeting’s focus. Multiple Sclerosis News…
June 1, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD EMD Serono Launches MS Care Partner Survey with IACO to Honor May 31, World MS Day 2017 ToĀ honor World MS Day, May 31,Ā EMD SeronoĀ launched a multiple sclerosis care partner survey in collaboration with the International Alliance of Carer Organizations (IACO). The new survey comes after the initial results from aĀ MerckĀ studyĀ showed that the highest number of MS care partners are aged 18-34, and that…
June 1, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Mallinckrodt Enrolls First Patient in Acthar Gel Clinical Trial for Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis Mallinckrodt has enrolled its first relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patient into a Phase 4 clinical trial (NCT03126760) withĀ H.P. Acthar Gel (Repository Corticotropin Injection) to see if the therapyĀ can help treat relapse symptoms in patients who did not respond to high-dose steroids. If successful, the trial might resolve…
May 31, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD It’s World MS Day, a Time to Share Tips and Raise Awareness with the Tag #LifewithMS Today is World MS Day,Ā and people around the world are sharing tips for living with multiple sclerosis (MS) by using the hashtagĀ #LifewithMS on social media. TheĀ MS International FederationĀ started World MS Day in 2009. Events and campaigns take place throughout May to encourage the global MS community to…
May 30, 2017 Columns by Patricia Silva, PhD ‘Disabled? You Seem Perfectly Fine to Me!’ The casual remark, “You seem perfectly fine to me!”Ā bothers me (and others) becauseĀ eligibility forĀ Social Security Disability benefits requires proving we are not fine. In fact, we must prove that we are disabled, which is no small burden when we “seem perfectly fine.” ‘Looking’ disabled An acquaintance of mine…
May 30, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC17 – Rituxan-treated MS Patients Three Times More Likely to Have Improved Brain Scans Multiple sclerosis patients who start Rituxan (rituximab) treatment are three times more likely to have unchanged or improved brain-scan readings than worse ones, according to a study. Holy Name Medical CenterĀ researchers presented theĀ findings at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers annual meeting in New Orleans, May 24-27. The presentation…
May 30, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC17 – Review Suggests Certain MS Patient Groups May Discontinue Disease-Modifying Treatments Older patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) as well as older relapsing patients whose MS has been inactive after five years may safely discontinue their treatments, Canadian researchers at Vancouver’sĀ University of British ColumbiaĀ argue. TheirĀ Sanofi Genzyme-sponsoredĀ study, āWhen Should Disease-Modifying Treatments Be Discontinued in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: An…
May 26, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC17 – MS Patients Should Contribute to Outcome Measure Development, Study Argues Patients must help develop new outcome measures of multiple sclerosis (MS), since theyĀ and healthcare providers may have differing perceptions of how crucialĀ various measures are, a new study argues. Researchers from the Multiple Sclerosis Center of AtlantaĀ shared this insight today at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) 2017 Annual…
May 26, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC17 – Feeling of Social Stigma Makes Depression in MS More Likely, Study Reports People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who feel stigmatized because of their condition are more likely to have depression, Ā research presented at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers Annual MeetingĀ showed. TheĀ Pennsylvania State UniversityĀ research team said the impact of the stigma can be eased by lots of social support, a sense…
May 26, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC17 – Relapse After First Lemtrada Course No Indication of Poor Long-Term Outcome, Study Finds Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who experienced a relapse between their first and second rounds of Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) had good treatment outcomes over the long run, according to a Phase 3 clinical trial. Those who relapsed after their first round ended up with annual relapse rates similar to those who didn’t…
May 26, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC17 – Genentech Starts Site to Connect MS Patients and Caregivers with Resources GenentechĀ has rolled out a website to connect multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and caregivers with resources that can help them. The company unveiledĀ GatherMSĀ at the annual meeting of the Consortium for Multiple Sclerosis CentersĀ in New Orleans. The event started May 24 and will end May 27. Genentech created GatherMS…