MS and Demyelinating Disorders

Take 5 minutes to catch up on NeurologyLive®'s highlights from the week ending June 9, 2023.

In this episode of MEDcast, expert neurologists delve into anti-CD20 disease modifying therapies (DMTs) in MS. They assess the correlation between clinical observations and immunological processes in MS patients, and also examine the role of the Epstein Barr virus in MS.

The professor of neurology at the University of Virginia discussed the progress made in recognizing and diagnosing neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder through the discovery of specific monoclonal antibodies. [WATCH TIME: 5 minutes]

Ahmed Zayed Obeidat MD, PhD; Ravi Dukkipati, MD; and Gabriel Pardo, MD, FAAN, share key takeaways for clinicians treating RRMS.

Expert neurologists highlight upcoming agents for the treatment of RRMS, focusing on biomarkers.

Carolyn H. Goldschmidt, DO, a neurologist at NorthShore University Health System in Chicago, talked about a retrospective study analyzing disease-modifying therapies in multiple sclerosis patients at CMSC 2023.

The professor of neurology at Oregon Health & Science University talked about a study on a modified low-fat diet intervention and its effects on fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis over a 16-week period at CMSC 2023. [WATCH TIME: 8 minutes]

Patients with multiple sclerosis who presented with high-stress maintained their stress management practice through later protocol sessions, according to a study a recent study.

At the 2023 CMSC Annual Meeting, Christopher C. Hemond, MD, assistant professor of neurology at UMass Chan Medical School, provided an overview of his study on mindfulness-based stress reduction in patients with MS using MRI and patient outcomes.

Here's some of what is coming soon to NeurologyLive® this week.

The professor of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine discussed progressive multiple sclerosis and the need for targeted therapies to address the progression and associated challenges. [WATCH TIME: 5 minutes]

In the 2023 Donald Paty Lecture, speaker Darin Okuda presented novel MRI methods that might help determine whether MS lesions have potential for future remyelination.

Test your neurology knowledge with NeurologyLive®'s weekly quiz series, featuring questions on a variety of clinical and historical neurology topics. This week's topic is the history of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

At CMSC 2023, the associate professor of neurological sciences at the University of Vermont in Burlington talked about data surrounding multiple sclerosis diagnosis and misdiagnosis, suggesting the need for the development of diagnostic biomarkers. [WATCH TIME: 5 minutes]

At CMSC 2023, the professor of neurology at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry discussed the emerging paradigm shift in understanding multiple sclerosis (MS) as a smoldering disease and the potential role of Epstein Barr Virus in causing MS. [WATCH TIME: 6 minutes]

Most patients completed at least 3 years of treatment, with no new safety signals observed and a treatment discontinuation rate of 5.3%.

The first results from a phase 2 study frexalimab (SAR441344; Sanofi), in relapsing multiple sclerosis have shown promise for the anti-CD40L antibody.

Although the CDC has declared the public health emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic over, patients with multiple sclerosis and other conditions are still in need of guidance.

Using the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale, patients either forced to exercise or who volunteered saw significant improvements over a 12-week period.

Take 5 minutes to catch up on NeurologyLive®'s highlights from the week ending June 2, 2023.

At CMSC 2023, the neuromuscular and movement disorders speech-language pathologist at Orlando Health discussed the importance of early intervention in speech and communication therapy, as well as the challenges faced in getting patients to seek therapy at the time of diagnosis. [WATCH TIME: 5 minutes]

The adjunct instructor at the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences provided perspective on the next steps in research for potential wearable devices focused on treating issues of multiple sclerosis. [WATCH TIME: 2 minutes]

Many programs and activities at the 2023 CMSC Annual Meeting focused on burnout prevention and supporting the current and future MS care workforce.

Factors such as older age, poor steroid responsiveness, and plasma exchange were associated with NMOSD phenotype, while normal or thinned retinal nerve fiber layer and short-segment hyperintensity were associated with idiopathic optic neuritis.

The combination of EDSS scores above 6 and age over 55 years resulted in higher serious infection rate that was nearly double that seen in the overall population.

In mixed-effect analyses adjusting for multiple cofounders, changes in inflammatory gene expression correlated inversely with changes in patient-reported stress, loneliness, hair cortisol, and aspects of interoceptive awareness.

Investigators observed significant correlations between processing speed and arterial stiffness among patients with multiple sclerosis, but not in healthy controls.

Over the 96-week treatment period, ublituximab-treated patients outperformed teriflunomide-treated patients on several domains of the Fatigue Impact Scale.

Despite similar proportion of females and ever-smokers, age of onset of multiple sclerosis was significantly earlier for Latinx patients compared with White non-Latinx individuals.

Investigators observed significant decreases in Modified Fatigue Impact Scale and Fatigue Severity Scale with the low-fat diet in relation to controls.