Immunosuppressive Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis in light of COVID-19 pandemic
March 18, 2022
COVID-19 infection Disease Severity and Outcomes in Patients on Disease Modifying treatment for Multiple Sclerosis The findings from 2 large studies of MS patients is summarized below.• Analysis of 1787 MS patients from registries in Italy and France• Included patients with RRMS/SPMS/PPMS• Most patients, as is typical of MS were RRMS• Patients were on any of several medications for MS• Older age, male sex, higher disability and Co-morbidities were associated with...
Effect of Dimethyl Fumarate vs Copaxone on Inflammation in Chronic Active Multiple Sclerosis Lesions
February 28, 2022
Old MS lesions can be divided into chronic inactive and chronic active lesions. Chronic inactive lesions do not change over time. Chronic active lesions, however, continue to cause damage to nerve fibers. Chronic active lesions are characterized by the presence of activated microglia cells which are immune cells found in the brain. Researchers including me, at Dr Susan Gauthier's imaging lab at Weill Cornell used an MRI technique called QSM (quantitative susceptibility mapping) developed by Dr...
Association between EBV infection and Multiple Sclerosis
February 18, 2022
Increased focus has been put on the connection between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and MS in the past, and an interesting study has been published in January 2022 in the journal Science.EBV is the primary cause of mononucleosis, and can be found in 95% of all adults, while approximately 99.5% of MS patients carry the virus.Scientists at Harvard used blood samples that were collected over 2 decades from more than 10 million young adults working in the U.S. military.In this monitored group, the risk...
