Differentiating NMO from MS may be a difficult task. Yet the distinction is crucial as treatment and prognosis vary. In an upcoming issue of JNNP (On line first) an elegant review discusses potential clinical, CSF and radiological discriminators between NMO, NMO spectrum disorder and MS. Read more at: J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry doi:10.1136/jnnp-2014-308984 Multiple sclerosis […]
Month: September 2014
Attention junior doctors: assessing delirium in hospital, it’s time to pay attention.
If you take a wander through your local hospital emergency department, you will generally not find any similarity to what you see on TV. It will not look like an episode of ‘ER’, with ambulances pulling up at breakneck speed and doctors yelling instructions in an attempt to save a life. Generally, the atmosphere is […]
Cortical atrophy progresses in MS
Progression in MS has been associated with cortical atrophy. Consequently, the holy grail of trying to prevent diability development in MS is to slow or even prevent the rate of cortical atrophy. In this issue of JNNP, Zivadinovs groups elegantly demonstrate that cortical atrophy evolves over a 10 year period, being more pronounced in those […]
Interferons: The safety continues!
In the new ear of MS drugs, safety has been an important consideration. The risk of cancer in patients treated with IFNs has been raised, although never proven. In this issue of JNNP, a large study from British Columbia categoricaly excludes the association of any cancers with MS. Interestingly, there was a non-signifcant increase in […]
Stem cells and MS: let’s see some data.
It is no secret that treatment options in Neurology are rapidly evolving. It is also no secret that for many chronic neurological disorders, there is no way we can even begin to think about a cure. For many conditions, the mechanisms that cause the disease are only just being identified and this is of course […]
Salt intake exacerbates MS?
Salt intake has been shown to modulate the activity of Th 17 cells, the very cells that drive the inflammatory response in MS. Consequently, the question is raised whether high salt intake is associated with MS activity/relapses. In an upcoming issue of JNNP, Farez and colleagues demonstrate a link between high salt intake and MS […]
Is treatment for HIV a potential cure for multiple sclerosis?
HIV and multiple sclerosis (MS) are chronic conditions that, despite a massive amount of research, remain essentially incurable. The marked progress in treatment for these conditions has meant that both are now treatable, with the goal of treatment focussing on maintaining independence and quality of life. In the case of HIV, ensuring prolonged survival is […]