REPORT FROM THE ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS – BOSTON, MA, SEPTEMBER 10-13, 2014 – Recent studies have indicated that increased sodium chloride concentrations can induce pathogenic CD4+ Th17 cells in humans (Kleinewietfeld et al. Nature 2013;496:518-522; free full text at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746493/pdf/nihms500370.pdf). This effect is specific to Th17, with little or no effect on Th1 or Th2 differentiation or proliferation. Moreover, salt-induced Th17 cells demonstrate increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alpha and IL-2. Read More

REPORT FROM THE ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS – BOSTON, MA, SEPTEMBER 10-13, 2014 – Numerous extension and long-term observational studies were presented at ACTRIMS/ECTRIMS 2014 for current disease-modifying therapies (DMT). The following is a summary by treatment. Read More

REPORT FROM THE ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS – BOSTON, MA, SEPTEMBER 10-13, 2014 – Cognitive outcomes appear to be similar in pediatric-onset MS and adult-onset MS despite a longer disease duration in younger patients (Hakiki et al. ECTRIMS 2014; abstract YI2.3).

Neuropsychological performance was assessed with the Rao Brief Repeatable Battery and the Stroop test in 14 patients with a history of pediatric-onset MS and 30 age-matched adult RRMS patients. Duration of MS was 9.8 years and 3.7 years, respectively. Mean EDSS score was 1.7 and 1.5. Mean age for the two groups was 26 years. Read More

REPORT FROM THE ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS – BOSTON, MA, SEPTEMBER 10-13, 2014 – Testing for oligoclonal Ig bands in cerebrospinal fluid is useful in predicting which patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) are at risk of developing clinically-definite MS (Tumani et al. ECTRIMS 2014; abstract P197). Read More