Pregnancy has been traditionally associated with lower frequency of relapses and more quiescent MS disease activity. Consequently, cessation of medications is encouraged, and is necessary for some of the newer oral therapies. In this issue of JNNP the Italisn MS group publish an important and elegant paper documenting that the control of disease post-partum is really dependent on what is occurring pre conception. Fewer relapses before pregnancy and lower disability score 9perhpas reflecting less active disease) is associated with better outcomes, as is early resumption of disease modifying agents.
Read more at http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/85/8/845.abstract
- Multiple sclerosis
- Research paper
Postpartum relapses increase the risk of disability progression in multiple sclerosis: the role of disease modifying drugs
- Emilio Portaccio1,
- Angelo Ghezzi2,
- Bahia Hakiki1,
- Andrea Sturchio1,
- Vittorio Martinelli3,
- Lucia Moiola3,
- Francesco Patti4,
- Gian Luigi Mancardi5,
- Claudio Solaro6,
- Maria Rosaria Tola7,
- Carlo Pozzilli8,
- Laura De Giglio8,
- Rocco Totaro9,
- Alessandra Lugaresi10,
- Giovanna De Luca10,
- Damiano Paolicelli11,
- Maria Giovanna Marrosu12,
- Giancarlo Comi3,
- Maria Trojano11,
- Maria Pia Amato1,
- for the MS Study Group of the Italian Neurological Society