diagnosis

Almost 1 in 5 People Wrongly Diagnosed with MS at Two Specialized Centers in US, Study Finds We know that MS is a difficult disease to diagnose, but is it really possible that 20 percent of the MS diagnoses are wrong? Apparently so. This study reports that…

Editor’s note: “Need to Know” is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about multiple sclerosis? Visit our forum. This week’s question is inspired by the forum topic, “Are you a parent caregiver of a child with…

Almost one in five patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) and referred to one of two MS-specialized centers in the U.S. were found to not have the disease, a study at those two centers reported. Migraine was the most common correct diagnosis eventually given these people. The retrospective study…

Medical Marijuana ‘Can Help Everyone,’ Says Director at Maryland Cannabis Facility Keeping in mind that the person quoted in this article, Mr. Castleman, is growing medical marijuana to make money, I wouldn’t expect him to say anything else. On the other hand, I firmly believe that some forms of…

Awareness of certain symptoms, particularly gait disorders and depression, could be critical for reducing the time it takes to diagnose multiple sclerosis after a patient first contacts a healthcare provider, research shows. In the past 30 years, there has been a major decrease in the time from the…

A product called acrolein, which is naturally excreted by the body and possible to measure in urine and blood, may be a potential biomarker to help diagnose and evaluate disease activity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to preliminary research in animal models and humans. Researchers are investigating whether acrolein…

Last updated May 5, 2023 As the year comes to a close, I find myself in a reflective state. This mild nostalgia visits each December and accompanies me into the New Year. I usually honor this slight melancholy by thinking of all that has transpired in a mere 365 days.

With a renowned researcher and her team chosen to lead it, work can now begin on the first project of its kind in Canada designed to shed more light on multiple sclerosis progression, and better ways of diagnosing and treating it. Leading the pioneering $7 million project — the Canadian…

By now you may have heard that actress Selma Blair has revealed that she has multiple sclerosis (MS). That took a lot of guts. Those of us who share her diagnosis might learn a few things from what she’s shared and how she’s shared it. Blair may be…

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are more likely to experience health problems before they receive their formal diagnosis, as well as to experience serious non-MS-related complications after diagnosis, a study reveals. The findings were reported in the study “Increased risk of…

A new subtype of multiple sclerosis (MS) — called myelocortical MS (MCMS) — is characterized by cortical neuronal loss, but not by loss of myelin in the brain’s white matter, according to a study. Research on this new type of MS was presented today at the 34th congress of…

Often-overlooked MRI Signal May Aid in Early Diagnosis of MS, Other Brain Conditions, Study Suggests A part of an MRI scan that radiologists call a “background signal” is what’s being looked at. It’s usually ignored because the signal doesn’t seem to change even when a patient is…

Scientists have found that a usually-overlooked signal from MRI scans indicates brain regions of nerve cell death and may help in the understanding of brain development and the early diagnosis of brain disorders like multiple sclerosis (MS),…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) that appears to be "genuinely benign" 15 years after diagnosis is evident in a small number of patients, a large population-based study from the U.K. reports. But, its researchers note, the term “benign” is often not clinically accurate as used, because it is based largely on perceptions of disease impact. The study “How common is truly benign MS in a UK population?” was published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. The concept of benign MS is controversial, especially among clinicians. Still, long-term epidemiological studies have consistently identified a small fraction of patients whose MS progresses very slowly over a long span of years. Determining the prevalence of this type of MS in the population has been difficult, as estimates can vary significantly depending of the definition of “benign” that is adopted. Researchers sought to determine an accurate estimate of benign MS in the U.K. population, using a rigorous and comprehensive clinical definition of a truly benign disease. This definition included minimal physical disability (EDSS score of less than 3), and no significant fatigue, mood disturbance, cognitive impairment or interrupted employment in the absence of treatment with disease-modifying therapies over 15 years or more years after symptom onset. They screened an U.K. population-based registry containing data on 3,062 MS patients to identify those with "unlimited walking ability" 15 or more years after diagnosis. A representative sample of 60 patients  from this pool was analyzed (45 women and 15 men, mean age of 57); they had a mean disease duration of 28 years. Nine out of these 60 (15%; 8 women and one men) fulfilled the study’s criteria for truly benign disease. These nine people had a mean age of 27 at symptom onset, a median EDSS disability score of 1.5 (minimal signs of disability), and a mean disease duration of 31 years. "Those nine individuals with truly benign MS all remained in a relapsing–remitting state," the study noted. "However, only two out of nine showed disease arrest within the first decade; the remainder all continued to experience relapses well into their second or third decade of MS," but the rates of such relapses were low. MS in the remaining patients was not classified as benign, mostly due to evidence of cognitive difficulties (57%), and the disease's impact on employment status (52%) with many taking early retirement. Based on these results, a population frequency for "benign MS" under the definitions used was estimated at 2.9%. But the researchers noted that a large proportion of patients (65%; 39 patients out of 60) reported their disease as benign, according to a lay definition. Their self-reported status poorly agreed with the clinical assessments done throughout the study. "There is no accepted definition to offer patients when exploring whether they feel their MS is benign; the definition we chose incorporates the fundamental principles of low impact on a person, absence of complications and a favourable outcome and is in line with definitions provided by third-party support groups," the researchers wrote. Many  considering themselves with benign disease did so based on their "perception" of their disease, the team added, and one that "appeared to be driven as much by mood, fatigue and bladder function as by physical ability."  “In conclusion, after detailed clinical assessment, a small minority of people with MS appear genuinely unaffected by symptoms after 15 years,” the researchers added. They also called attention to the fact that EDSS-based definitions of benign MS and the inconsistency between patient and clinician perception of benign MS compromise the use of the term ‘benign’ in clinical practice. They also emphasize that studying individuals with benign MS “has the potential to uncover clues to mechanisms underlying favorable outcomes in MS, provide insights into new therapeutic targets and have implications for patient counselling, individual patient management and the construct of clinical trials.”

A meta-analysis of 13 case-control studies shows that the levels of the protein neurofilament light chain (NFL) are significantly higher in both the cerebrospinal fluid and blood of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, compared to healthy controls. This finding adds to previous evidence supporting the usefulness of NFL as a…

Abreos Biosciences announced the U.S. launch of moNATor, a laboratory-developed test that can help physicians monitor the levels of Tysabri (natalizumab) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Tysabri (approved for relapsing forms of MS, by Biogen) administered at a dose of 300 mg every four weeks is known to be…

Researchers have identified a new subtype of multiple sclerosis (MS), one marked by nerve cell degeneration that occurs independently of immune system attacks against myelin, a process known as demyelination and considered a hallmark of MS. The new subtype — called myelocortical MS — is indistinguishable from others in the…

The ice water test, a tool used to evaluate the function of the bladder in patients with neurological disorders, was successfully used to identify undiagnosed cases of bladder dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to researchers from Germany. The findings of the study, “Ice water test…

The number, location, and size of lesions can help predict the risk of progression from clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) to multiple sclerosis (MS) within one year, a new study shows. The study, “MRI in predicting conversion to multiple sclerosis within 1 year,” was published in the journal…

Quanterix’s ultra-sensitive Simoa assay has the potential to open new uses for the brain biomarker known as neurofilament light chain, including the possibility to detect early evidence of neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s, and ably evaluate efforts to treat and prevent them, the company…

Higher-than-usual levels of specific antibodies in the blood of patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) may predict a faster progression to multiple sclerosis (MS), an Australian study reports. The specific antibody is known as IgG3, an immunoglobulin known to promote inflammation. The study, “Higher Serum Immunoglobulin G3 Levels May Predict…

IQuity, a data analytics company, announced the launch of an analytics platform that uses machine learning to predict, identify, and monitor chronic disease within large populations of patients, including multiple sclerosis (MS). The platform was validated using a pilot study that assessed the healthcare claims of 20 million people…

It’s not unusual to hear someone say, “I was diagnosed with MS in [fill in the year], but I probably should have been diagnosed five or 10 years earlier.” Now a study reports that during the five years before someone is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), it’s quite…

Many patients report a history of other conditions such as migraine headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and mood and anxiety disorders, before being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). According to a new study, these symptoms could be warning signs of MS and help in its early detection. “Prodrome” is a…

I am told I have primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), and my symptoms appear to be in line with that diagnosis. I continually have a slow gait, leg weakness, balance issues, and fatigue. There is never a break from those symptoms. Intermittently, I have cognitive issues, slurred speech, and burning…

Atrophy (shrinkage) of brain lesions correlates with physical disability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), new research reports. The study, “Atrophied Brain Lesion Volume: A New Imaging Biomarker in Multiple Sclerosis,” was published in the Journal of Neuroimaging. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are used routinely on MS patients…

The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) is partnering with Allegheny Health Network (AHN) and its newly opened Autoimmunity Institute — based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — to study the costs of autoimmune disease to patients in the U.S., including that of just getting a correct diagnosis. AARDA, a non-profit that…

B-cell alterations in peripheral blood may predict the conversion of clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) to multiple sclerosis (MS), a recent study suggests. Conducted in Turkey, the study, “Peripheral blood memory B cell frequency predicts conversion from clinically isolated syndrome to multiple sclerosis,” was published in…

A potential biomarker — the ratio of antibody proteins in cerebrospinal fluid at the time of diagnosis — was seen to predict which  multiple sclerosis patients will progress into full-blow disability some five years after being diagnosed in a new study. If confirmed in larger clinical studies, this biomarker could to…

At times I find myself speaking of and referencing my life before my MS diagnosis. My thoughts led to the creation of the following epistle. I believe that words are curative and the spirit absorbs what we speak. As you read my letter to multiple sclerosis, remember that you…