MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Acthar Gel, Alcohol and MS Risk, Mindfulness

Analysis Finds Acthar Gel Cost-effective for MS Relapses

I’ve seen social media posts from people with MS who use Acthar Gel and report that it helps with their spasticity. The gel, which is a shot, not an ointment, prompts the body to creates cortisol, a steroid hormone that helps to regulate certain immune system and inflammatory processes. This study found that the gel quickly improved the quality of life of people treated with it, and over time, was more cost-effective than plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulin.

Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection) was found to be a cost-effective treatment for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) experiencing a relapse, according to an economic analysis.

Notably, the economic value of Acthar Gel was greater than that of alternative treatments — plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulin — from the perspective of both the payers and society.

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October 29, 2021 Columns by Ed Tobias

Researchers Lower the Temperature to Try to Reduce MS Inflammation

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Never Drinking Alcohol Tied to ‘Significantly’ Higher MS Risk

Read this headline carefully, because it’s a little confusing. Yes, this study concludes that people who have never been alcohol drinkers seem to have a higher risk of an MS diagnosis than those of us who have tipped a few. There’s been an active discussion about this story on the MS News Today Facebook Group. See you there?

Not drinking alcohol significantly increases the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), especially if a person also is a current or former smoker, according to a new study.

These findings add to the knowledge, discovered in multiple previous studies, that alcohol decreases the activity of the immune system. According to the researchers, this may account for the known connection between alcohol consumption and reduced MS risk — given that MS is characterized by an overactive immune system.

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Mindfulness Helped MS Patients Cope With Symptoms

Many other treatments besides medicinal ones can help to ease our MS symptoms, including mindfulness. This is a type of meditation in which the practitioner shuts out distractions and focuses on being intensely aware of what they’re sensing and feeling in the moment. It’s been used by people with MS to reduce stress, ease pain, and provide better sleep. Have you tried it?

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) helped people with multiple sclerosis (MS) cope with symptoms, and many said they would recommend these practices to others living with MS, according to a review of published studies related to patients’ experiences.

The participants reported the benefits of a shared experience, but stressed the importance of MBI instructors to help understand and practice mindfulness, and the inclusion of MS patients in MBI design and delivery to make them more relevant.

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