Neurology

Sequencing MS therapies – a changing landscape

December 17, 2019

Comment by Dr. Virender Bhan – Senior neurologist, Burnaby/Vancouver, BC, Canada.

NeuroSens recently posted a survey on sequencing disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) in multiple sclerosis to investigate whether clinicians’ approaches have changed in the past 2-3 years. The current survey was a follow-up to a series of surveys conducted over a one-year period ending in December 2017 that accompanied an 8-part article on sequencing. (For a summary of those results see Are opinions changing on changing therapies in MS?, NeuroSens, October 22, 2019). Read More

Importance of vaccination: the Sick Santa model

December 12, 2019

A researcher in Japan has raised a seasonally timely question: what if Santa Claus had a communicable disease as he made his rounds (Furuse Y. Med J Aust 2019;211:523-524)?

Future look: Drug approvals pending for 2020

December 5, 2019

Three drugs for use in neurology or psychiatry have filed with Health Canada and are expected to be approved in 2020. All have received FDA approval in the U.S. Here is a summary of what is waiting in the wings. Read More

Proton pump inhibitors linked to neurological conditions

November 29, 2019

A new analysis of the FDA adverse events database (FAERS) has reported that use of proton pump inhibitors (e.g. omeprazole, rabeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole) may be associated with a risk of neurological conditions, including hearing and visual impairment, memory loss, neuropathy and migraine (Sci Rep 2019;9:17280). Read More

Progression independent of relapses (PIRA) in MS

November 21, 2019

A new term in MS research that has emerged in recent years is PIRA, or progression independent of relapse activity. It purports to quantify the proportion of disability worsening due to non-inflammatory neurodegenerative processes. However, the new metric has its shortcomings and the methodology used to quantify PIRA has varied since the concept first appeared in 2017. Read More