Highlights of the 29^th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in MS (ECTRIMS), Copenhagen, DK, October 2-5, 2013 – MRI has largely eclipsed CSF analysis of oligoclonal bands (OCB) as the preferred paraclinical assessment to support a diagnosis of MS and there are conflicting reports on the prognostic significance of OCB results. Some studies have found that OCB-negativity is prognostic of a more favourable long-term outcome (Joseph et al. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2009;80:292-296; Mandrioli et al. J Neurol 2008;255:1023-1031).

In contrast, a Canadian retrospective study of 451 MS patients reported that there was no association between OCB status and progression or relapse frequency (Siritho & Freedman. J Neurol Sci 2009;279:21-25). The clinical importance of OCBs was the focus of a recently published debate (Yes: Sandberg-Wollheim & Olsson. No: Tur & Montalban. Mult Scler 2013;19:714-718).

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Highlights of the 29^th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in MS (ECTRIMS), Copenhagen, DK, October 2-5, 2013 – Vitamin D supplementation for MS prophylaxis and treatment was the topic of debate at the European Charcot Foundation symposium at ECTRIMS. Speakers Dr. George Ebers, UK, and Dr. Alberto Ascherio, US, noted that numerous studies have linked low serum 25(OH)D levels with MS risk.

For example, Munger et al. reported a decreasing risk of developing MS in Caucasians for each 50 nmol/L increase in serum 25(OH)D; no association was seen for vitamin D and MS risk in blacks and Hispanics (Munger et al. JAMA 2006;296:2832-2838).

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SPECIAL REPORT

The Canadian MS Working Group has issued recommendations on optimizing treatment of patients with relapsing-remitting MS (Freedman et al. Can J Neurol Sci 2013;40:307-323). The publication updates recommendations published in 2004 (Freedman et al. Can J Neurol Sci 2004;31:157-168). See below for free download information. Read More