Archive: June, 2009

• Hot off the AAN Press (belatedly): High Doses of Vitamin D Cut MS Relapses

  April 28, 2009 (Seattle) — High doses of vitamin D dramatically cut the relapse rate in people with multiple sclerosis, a study shows. Sixteen percent of 25 [...]

  • Caroline says: A big mea culpa to you, readers! Here I go eating my words about there being no evidence for a connection between diet and MS (I did, however, include a 'note about Vitamin D' and it's MS connection in a previous post). A reader emailed this to me and I decided it was important to add! I obviously missed this in my previous 'Hot off the AAN Press' posts. Apologies!
     
  
  

  • Cigarettes and MS: More Evidence of a Bad Combination

    Rebecca Hoover Unfortunately, cigarette smoking seems to be part of the multiple sclerosis (MS) picture for some patients.  Studies have shown that cigarette smoking increases the chances [...]

    • Caroline says: I posted another article while back about a study that found young smokers' being more likely to develop MS. This article confirms that study, and also adds that MSers who smoke are more likely to become disabled more quickly and have tougher relapses than those who do not.
       
    
    

    • 1 in 4 MS Patients Don’t Fill Scripts

      New Study Finds 1 in 4 Multiple Sclerosis Patients With High Out-of-Pocket Costs Not Filling Prescriptions ST. PAUL, Minn., June 17, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — One [...]

      • Caroline says: Wow. As if we needed yet another reason for cheaper prescription drugs...I don't need to tell anyone reading this blog that MS drugs are insanely expensive. This article makes a great point (one that applies to other Rx areas also): when people can't afford to take the medications they are prescribed, it does nothing but increase healthcare costs anyway in the long run. Prime Therapeutics has conducted a study that concluded 1 in 4 MS patients do not take their prescribed medications because they can't afford to get them filled.
         
      
      

      • More Power to You, NYU

        NYU Study May Find Better Treatments For MS Doctors at New York University are conducting a medical study that may determine the best treatments to slow the [...]

        • Caroline says: Oded Gonen of NYU's Langone Medical Center is studying 25 MS patients to determine the factors that predict their disease course -- in order to help find better diagnostic procedures as well as point towards new anti-inflammatory treatments not yet developed (or not yet used) for MS. The video is good -- I think the patient, David Rice, is pretty typical in terms of his uncertainty about his future (ie, it's a sentiment ubiquitous among MS patients). Watch the video!
           
        
        

        • Biogen Says Eighth Patient Has Infection From Tysabri

          By Tom Randall June 12 (Bloomberg) — Biogen Idec said a patient taking its multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain illness, the eighth [...]

          • Caroline says: Biogen confirms the 8th case of PML in the last year with a pt taking Tysabri. No real information on the pt was revealed in this article, such as pt's age, time on Tysabri, etc. Best of luck to them, however.
             
          
          

          • What do you get when you cross a German, a Mouse, and a White Blood Cell?

            Over 100,000 people suffer from multiple sclerosis in Germany alone. Despite intensive research, the factors that trigger the disease and influence its progress remain unclear. Scientists from [...]

            • Caroline says: This is interesting and I have posted on this topic before: it has only been recently that scientists have recognized the importance of B-cells in MS (previously T-cells took on the majority of the blame). Scientists in Germany have now developed the most accurate animal model of MS: this is important because in order to find more effective treatments and study EXACTLY which cells go awry and what role they play in MS, scientists need to understand how the disease process works (thus the new and improved animal models).
               
            
            

            • Diabetes drug may aid multiple sclerosis

              CHICAGO, May 27 (UPI) — U.S. medical researchers say they’ve found a drug used to treat diabetes shows protective effects in the brains of some multiple sclerosis [...]

              • Caroline says: When I read this I was reminded of a time several years ago when people were all excited about statins and MS. That really didn't go anywhere, so we'll see what happens with this. It looks like a promising study.
                 
              
              

              • Treating MS with Natural Remedies

                Hydrangea Root Shows Promise In Treating Autoimmune Disorders US researchers found that a drug made from the root of the hydrangea plant, which has for centuries been [...]

                • Caroline says: I have to say that I haven't put a lot of stock into natural remedies when it comes to treating my MS. I would never choose a natural remedy over an FDA-approved disease modifying agent and expect to get the same results. That said, I do appreciate living a healthier life, and understand that it is better for my body and my liver to be on fewer drugs. I have done a little research on what's going on "naturally" with regard to MS treatment. Here's a recent article about Chinese medicine and the Hydrangea roots' potential benefits for autoimmune diseases. I think it's always best to consult your physician or caregiver before taking herbs and supplements -- not only are they alone potentially harmful, they can have bad reactions when mixed with the stuff you're currently taking. Just a word of caution.
                   
                
                
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