The World Health Organization estimates that excess mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021) globally was 14.91 million. Excess mortality includes reported COVID deaths (5.42 million) as well as unreported COVID deaths, all-cause mortality where COVID played a role, and excess deaths related to healthcare delivery. This methodology was used to more accurately reflect deaths directly and indirectly related to the pandemic. Read More
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Evolving picture of cognitive dysfunction in MS
May 19, 2022Recent imaging studies in multiple sclerosis have focused on the association between cognitive dysfunction and grey-matter tissue loss, most notably of the cerebral cortex and thalamus. For example, at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting, an analysis of the SPRINT-MS trial proposed that lower thalamic volume at baseline may be a useful predictor of physical, cognitive and visual disability in progressive MS (Nicholson et al. AAN 2022;S12.007). Thalamic volume at the time of relapse may also be predictive of cognitive recovery as assessed by the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) (Weinstock et al. AAN 2022;P14.010). As such, thalamic volume (but not T2 lesion volume in this study) may serve as a marker of cognitive reserve. Read More
CLINICAL CASES IN MS – CASE 5: A CLINICALLY STABLE PATIENT PLANNING A PREGNANCY
May 5, 2022Click here to complete the questionnaire
Alison, 31, is a lawyer, married with no children. She was diagnosed with RRMS in 2014. Her initial presentation was vertigo, diplopia and mild ataxia. EDSS score was 2.0. She was started on glatiramer acetate but was switched to fingolimod in 2016 after experiencing two relapses.
She has been clinically stable since 2016. Her EDSS score is unchanged. Her last MRI eight months ago revealed three new lesions, one enhancing, but she was happy on therapy and did not want to make a switch at that time.
The patient tells you she wants to get pregnant in the next 6-12 months.
6 criteria to improve PMS outcomes
May 2, 2022Click here to take the survey on Improving PMS outcomes.
Canadian researchers have proposed six criteria that must be met for a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) to be effective in progressive multiple sclerosis (Yong & Yong. Nat Rev Neurol 2022;18:40-55). Over a dozen DMTs are currently available but they generally have limited effectiveness in slowing the neurodegeneration that underlies disability progression.