10 March 2009

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MSIF News

Profile of the Month

Research News

MS News

Making Connections

55 MS organisations now signed up to World MS Day

MSIF News


	Summaries of new MSIF activities, events, projects, programmes, resources, publications and more.

New edition of MS in focus on ataxia and tremor

Just published: Issue 13 of our biannual magazine looks in detail at the difficult MS symptoms of ataxia and tremor.

MSIF’s 2008 Annual Review, which includes details of MSIF’s recent activities and achievements, is coming soon.

Profile of the Month


	Summaries of news, views and achievements from people with MS around the world.

Profile of the Month : January 2010

Ahmed Darwish

Country: Egypt
Age: 47
Type of MS: Secondary progressive MS
Year of Diagnosis: 1992

There is a quote by Gandhi that inspires me, "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." I always have that quote in my mind and try to live by it.

Deutsch English Español Français Italiano Русский

Research News


	Summaries of all the latest research findings on MS selected by a team based at the Institute of Neurology, London.

Sustained-release oral fampridine in multiple sclerosis: a randomised, double-blind, controlled trial

In this randomised double-blind placebo-controlled phase III trial the efficacy of fampridine was investigated in 301 patients with relapsing remitting MS. After a 14-week treatment period in the fampridine group there was a significantly higher proportion of patients with improvement in walking ability than in the placebo group. Moreover, these patients with improvement in walking ability also had better scores in a scale which reflects patients’ perspectives on their ambulatory disability.

To read the full research article and the commentary, by Alan Thompson, Chairman, and Chris Polman, Deputy Chairman, MSIF International Medical and Scientific Board, download the PDF:
Fampridine trial article (775 kb)

authors: Goodman AD, Brown TR, Krupp LB, Schapiro RT, Schwid SR, Cohen R, Marinucci LN, Blight AR; Fampridine MS-F203 Investigators. Collaborators (34) Agius M, Arnason BG, Bethoux FA, Bever CT Jr, Bowen JD, Brown TR, Dietrich DW, Edwards K, Freedman MS, Freedman M, Kachuck NJ, Kaufman MD, Keilson M, Khan O, Krupp LB, Leist TP, Lindsey JW, Lublin FD, Mass MK, Mattson D, McGowan D, Naismith R, O'Connell C, Oger JJ, Panitch H, Picone MA, Center GM, Rammohan KW, Schapiro RT, Schwid SR, Scott T, Short C, Thrower BW, Vollmer TL

source: Lancet. 2009 Feb 28;373(9665):732-8

Improving function: a new treatment era for multiple sclerosis?

In this commentary published in Lancet this week Thompson and Polman discuss the findings of the fampridine study. They highlight not only the benefits of this new drug in terms of improvement of walking ability but also the means by which this improvement has been assessed, as both objective measures and subjective scales have been taken into account. Finally, the authors stress the potential of this new drug and the need of better understanding of the treatment profile.

To read the full research article and the commentary by Alan Thompson, Chairman, and Chris Polman, Deputy Chairman, MSIF International Medical and Scientific Board download the PDF:
Fampridine trial comment (136 kb)

authors: Thompson A, Polman C

source: Lancet. 2009 Feb 28;373(9665):697-8

GLANCE: Results of a phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

In this randomised double-blind placebo-controlled phase II trial, the safety and tolerability of natalizumab when added to glatiramer acetate, was investigated in 110 patients with relapsing remitting MS. The authors found that after the 6-month treatment period the combination treatment was safe. Moreover, significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of MRI parameters favouring the combination treatment.

authors: Goodman AD, Rossman H, Bar-Or A, Miller A, Miller DH, Schmierer K, Lublin F, Khan O, Bormann NM, Yang M, Panzara MA, Sandrock AW; For the GLANCE investigators

source: Neurology. 2009 Mar 3;72(9):806-812

The effects of L: -amphetamine sulfate on cognition in MS patients: results of a randomized controlled trial

In this randomised double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial, the safety and efficacy of amphetamines in 151 patients with MS, and documented cognitive impairment, were investigated. After a 29-day treatment period, no differences were shown between the 2 treatment arms on subjective ratings of cognition or on processing speed. However, significant differences favouring amphetamine treatment were observed in tests related to verbal and spatial memory. Further, the authors acknowledged that future studies are needed to verify these results.

authors: Morrow SA, Kaushik T, Zarevics P, Erlanger D, Bear MF, Munschauer FE, Benedict RH

source: J Neurol. 2009 Mar 5

Frequency and clinical patterns of multiple sclerosis in Arab countries: a systematic review

In this article the authors investigated clinical characteristics and laboratory findings of people with MS from Arab countries. Though there seemed to be many shared features with people with MS in western countries, there was a high proportion of optic-spinal forms of MS and a low proportion of positive oligoclonal bands, as has been described in Asian countries. Whether these similarities with Asian-type MS are due to similar genetic background or similar environmental characteristics is something that has to be clarified in future studies.

authors: Benamer HT, Ahmed ES, Al-Din AS, Grosset DG

source: J Neurol Sci. 2009 Mar 15;278(1-2):1-4

Epstein-Barr virus is associated with gray matter atrophy in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a complex disease where infections, which occurred during the childhood, may play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. More specifically the past infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been linked to the risk of developing MS. The authors of this study have investigated the relationship between EBV infection and the MRI outcome in 135 patients with MS. They suggest that evidence of a past infection with EBV (reflected by EBV antibodies) is associated with grey matter volume loss in MS and may be associated with the rate of this volume loss.

authors: Zivadinov R, Zorzon M, Weinstock-Guttman B, Serafin M, Bosco A, Bratina A, Grop A, Maggiore C, Tommasi MA, Srinivasaraghavan B, Ramanathan M

source: J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2009 Jan 23

Gene-environment interactions between HLA B7/A2, EBV antibodies are associated with MRI injury in multiple sclerosis

Previous studies showed that the presence of certain genetic variants (HLA27) were associated with higher lesion load and lower brain volume in MS. Besides this, it is known that a history of Epstein-Barr virus infection in people with MS is associated with higher loss of grey matter. The authors of this study have investigated the interaction between EBV infection and these risk genetic variants and they have suggested that this interaction is associated with both lesion burden and development of brain volume loss.

authors: Zivadinov R, Weinstock-Guttman B, Zorzon M, Uxa L, Serafin M, Bosco A, Bratina A, Maggiore C, Grop A, Tommasi MA, Srinivasaraghavan B, Ramanathan M

source: J Neuroimmunol. 2009 Feb 14

MS News


	Summaries of MS news from websites around the world.

US MS Society commends President Obama’s initial steps in removing the bans on embryonic stem cell research

source: US National MS Society

The US National MS Society commends President Obama for the hope and optimism he brings to the millions of people living with chronic and debilitating diseases or disabilities by removing the barriers to a promising path of responsible scientific research.

MS Ireland READaTHON annual awards

source: MS Ireland

MS Ireland’s MS READaTHON awards ceremony took place in Dundrum, Ireland on 4 March 2009.

Hookworms under the microscope in MS trial

source: UK MS Society

Scientists from the University of Nottingham, UK, will study the potential health benefits of parasitic worms as part of a study investigating treatments for people with MS.

Genetics studies yield new clues to why people get MS

source: US National MS Society

New studies are deciphering the complex picture of genetic characteristics that make people susceptible to MS, thanks to international collaborations and unique population studies.

Comparative Spain-Argentina MS study report published

source: La Federación Española para la Lucha contra la Esclerosis Múltiple

Further to our report on 9 December 2009, the report on the comparative study "Esclerosis Múltiple: realidad, necesidades socials y calidad de vida” (Multiple Sclerosis: reality, social needs and quality of life) has been published.

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