October 18, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD #ECTRIMS2018 ā High Vitamin D Levels, Smoking Predict Opposite Effects on Cognition in CIS Patients, Study Suggests High vitamin D levels predict better cognitive function, while smoking is associated with worse long-term cognitive disability in patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), a study suggests. Data from the study was presented by MariannaĀ Cortese, MD, PhD, from the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan…
October 16, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #ECTRIMS2018 – Study Examines Relapses When Stopping Gilenya During, After Pregnancy Up to half of women with multiple sclerosis (MS) who stop treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod) when planning to become pregnant will experience a relapse during pregnancy, according to a new study. The findings also revealed relapses over the first six months after giving birth in a quarter of…
October 12, 2018 News by BioNews Staff #ECTRIMS2018 – From Sun to Salt: Growing Role of Environment in MS A person’s genes influence the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), but so does the environment ā both that in which an MS patient lives, and that which a patient creates through diet and other lifestyle choices, researchers said in a Thursday session at the 34th congress of the European…
October 12, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc #ECTRIMS2018 – MS Patients More Prone to Health Problems Before, After Diagnosis, Study Suggests 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 āIncreased risk of…
October 11, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD #ECTRIMS2018 ā MS Patients with Depression or Bipolar Disorder at Higher Risk of Disability Worsening, Study Finds Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with depression or bipolar disorder may be at higher risk of becoming incapacitated and seeing their disability worsen faster, according to a Swedish study. A depressive state may increase the central nervous system response’s to inflammation and accelerate the…
October 11, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #ECTRIMS2018 – Rituximab for MS Does Not Increase Cancer Risk Compared to Gilenya and Tysabri, Swedish Study Finds Treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with rituximab does not increase breast cancer risk in women, and is not associated with a higher risk for malignant cancer of any type in men or women, when compared to Gilenya (fingolimod) orĀ Tysabri (natalizumab), according to a nationwide study in…
September 4, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Smoking Aggravates Respiratory Complications, Increases Sedentary Lifestyle in MS Patients, Study Reports Cigarette smoking worsens shortness of breath and fatigue, increases the rate of hospital admissions, and fosters a sedentary lifestyle in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study. The research, āEffects of cigarette smoking on respiratory problems and functional levels in multiple sclerosis patients,ā…
August 17, 2018 News by Diogo Pinto Healthy Diet May Lower Risk of Developing MS, Study Finds People who eat a healthy diet that includes foods such as vegetables, fish,Ā eggs, poultry, and legumes may have a reduced risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study suggests. The study, āA healthy dietary pattern associates with a lower risk of a first clinical diagnosis of central nervous system…
August 7, 2018 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Vitamin D3 Insufficiency Increases MS Susceptibility in a Gene and Sex-dependent Manner Vitamin D3 insufficiency increases multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) susceptibility in a gene and sex-dependent manner, a mouse study suggests. The study with that finding, “Sex-Specific Gene-by-Vitamin D Interactions Regulate Susceptibility to Central Nervous System Autoimmunity,” by researchers at the University of Vermont, was published in the journalĀ Frontiers in…
June 20, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc #EAN2018 ā New Guidelines for MS Treatment in Europe Set by EAN, ECTRIMS New treatment guidelines for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in Europe were set in place through an initiative undertaken by the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) and the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS). Launched in parallel to the 4th Congress of the European Academy…
June 14, 2018 News by Vijaya Iyer, PhD Obesity and Smoking in Teen Years Could Speed Adult’s Progression to SPMS, Study Reports Young adults at age 20 who are obese and smoke are not only at a higher risk of developing relapsing multiple sclerosis ā those who become MS patients after age 20 are also more likely to advance to secondary progressive MS more quickly, researchers in Sweden report. But the link…
June 12, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Perceptions of Fall Risk as Important as Physical Limitations and Need Be Part of Risk Assessment, Study Says For ambulatory multiple sclerosis patients with mobility problems, perceptions of being at risk of falling are as important as the risk due to their physical condition ā and both should be tested whenĀ evaluating fall risk in this patientĀ population, a study reports. The study, āThe relationship between physiological…
May 31, 2018 News by Diogo Pinto HPV Vaccine Not Seen to Raise Risk of Autoimmune Disease in Canadian Study Girls given the quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV4) vaccination, commercialized asĀ Gardasil, showed no increased risk of developing autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new Canadian study. The time since vaccination and the number of vaccine doses given also did not correlate with diagnoses of such disorders, supporting…
May 30, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Study Examines Factors That Increase Risk of Progressing from RRMS to SPMS Age at disease onset, number of early relapses, and the extent of brain damage at baseline can help identify those who are at high risk of progression from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis into the secondary progressive phase of the disease, a new study shows. The study with that finding, ā…
May 29, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc MS Patients Generally Able to Maintain Healthy Lifestyle Changes, Study Shows In general, multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are able to make and sustainĀ healthy lifestyle changes associated with a better quality of life, a study shows. The study, āHealth outcomes and adherence to a healthy lifestyle after a multimodal intervention in people with multiple sclerosis: Three year follow-up,ā…
April 27, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #AAN2018 – Extending Time Between Tysabri Doses Linked to Lower PML Risk, Analysis Suggests Extending the time between standard doses ofĀ TysabriĀ (natalizumab)Ā from four weeks to up to 12 weeks is linked to a significant decrease in the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients infected with what’s known as the JC virus, according to a recent analysis of data from…
April 24, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #AAN2018 – High Fish Consumption Linked to Lower MS Risk A diet rich in fish consumption and supplemented with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acidsĀ (PUFAs) is linked to a reduction of 45 percent in the risk of developing multiple sclerosis, a study shows. The results confirming previous research will be shared April 26 at theĀ 2018 Annual MeetingĀ of theĀ American Academy of…
April 23, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Epstein-Barr Virus May Increase Risk of MS, Other Diseases, Study Reports Infection with the common Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), a new report from theĀ Ā Cincinnati Childrenās Hospital Medical CenterĀ says. Besides MS, the Epstein-Barr virus also raises the risk for six other disorders: systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, inflammatory…
April 18, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc #AAN2018 ā Early Treatment Delays MS Disease Progression But Does Not Affect Death Rate, Study Suggests Beginning treatment early with disease-modifying therapies is the most effective approach to prevent multiple sclerosis (MS) progression in patients, a large-scale study suggests. Data from the Danish study will be presented at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), taking place April 21-27…
April 13, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis Linked to Lemtrada Use in RRMS Patients, FDA Reports Acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) is a rare but potentially life-threatening adverse effect linked to treatment with Lemtrada (alemtuzumab)Ā in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration review. The study, āAcute acalculous cholecystitis ā A new safety risk for…
April 12, 2018 News by Stacy Grieve, PhD First Generation Disease-modifying Therapies Pose Low Infection Risk in MS, Study Finds A large group study showed that first-generation disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) do not increase the infection risk in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Many of the DMTs used to reduce the risk of relapse in MS target the immune system and cause a suppression of the inflammatory response. Although helpful in…
March 12, 2018 News by Janet Stewart, MSc High Sun Exposure During Childhood May Lower Risk of MS, Study Finds People who live in areas with medium to high levels of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation from sunlight during their childhood and early adolescence, or in the years preceding the age of onset of multiple sclerosis (MS), have a lower risk of developing the disease, according to researchers. The study’s findings…
March 6, 2018 News by Diogo Pinto High Fish Consumption May Be Key to Lowering Risk of Developing MS Eating fish once a week, or one to three times per month along with taking daily fish oil supplements, may help lower the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), a preliminary study shows. These findings suggest that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish like salmon, tuna and shrimp may…
March 1, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Young Researchers in Multiple Sclerosis Earn Awards at ACTRIMS Forum 2018 The Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) hasĀ awarded five young investigators for their research work on multiple sclerosis (MS). The awards were presented at theĀ ACTRIMS Forum 2018, held Feb. 1-3 in San Diego,…
February 22, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD MS Patients Tend to Have More Heart Problems, Need Better Exams, Study Shows Researchers found that patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have increased heart problems suggestive of an intrinsic myocardial disease, and would benefit from cardiovascular examinations using more advanced techniques. The study, “Impaired Cardiac Function in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis by Comparison…
February 15, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Clinicians Who Prescribe Cannabis Should ‘Start Low and Go Slow,’ Study Advises Use of medicinal cannabis may pose risks as it may trigger psychiatric problems, but also because it lacks standardized chemical composition, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. With the legalization of cannabis in some states for medicinal and recreational proposes, additional pressure…
February 15, 2018 News by Ashraf Malhas, PhD Causal Link Between Vitamin D Deficiency and MS Risk Challenged in Study The idea that a vitamin D deficiency contributes to the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) has been challenged in a recent study that examined subtle differences in a protein involved in vitamin D metabolism in people from different ethnic backgrounds. The study, “Vitamin D-Binding Protein…
February 14, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Italian Study Examines Tysabri and Risk for Miscarriage and Birth Defects Pregnant women with multiple sclerosis (MS) exposed to Tysabri (natalizumab) in the first trimester had higher rates of miscarriage and major birth defects in their babies, than women left untreated or treated with interferon beta, a study shows. Although higher, these rates were similar to those in the general…
February 5, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #ACTRIMS2018 ā Extending Tysabri Treatment Intervals May Reduce PML Risk, TOUCH Registry Data Suggest Extending the dosing periods of Tysabri (natalizumab) treatment may help reduce the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or PML, in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients infected with the JC virus, a study suggests. The study, āNatalizumab Extended Interval Dosing Is Associated with a Reduction in Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy…
January 29, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Variations in Biological Clock Genes May Increase Risk of MS, Study Reports Researchers have found a link between variations in two genes that control our 24-hour biological clock and the risk of a person developing multiple sclerosis. The study, āAssociation of circadian rhythm genes ARNTL/BMAL1 and CLOCK with multiple sclerosis,ā was published in the journal PLOS ONE. Scientists know MS…