REPORT FROM THE 67TH AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY (AAN) ANNUAL MEETING – WASHINGTON DC, APRIL 18-25, 2015 – The use of tissue plasminogen activators (tPA) in patients with ischemic stroke is limited by the narrow therapeutic time window, and poor efficacy in opening proximal occlusions of the major intracranial arteries. Intraarterial interventions, such as thrombectomy with mechanical devices, are potentially useful but studies to date have produced mixed results, in large part because of trial design and patient selection.

A series of recent studies have attempted to clarify the role of thrombectomy post-stroke, and these were summarized in an invited science session hosted by the AAN in conjunction with the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association (AAN 2015; S54). Read More

REPORT FROM THE 67TH AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY (AAN) ANNUAL MEETING – WASHINGTON DC, APRIL 18-25, 2015 – A number of new studies at AAN 2015 presented longer-term data on the use of second-generation disease-modifying therapies for MS. The following is a summary of key studies: Read More

REPORT FROM THE 67TH AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY (AAN) ANNUAL MEETING – WASHINGTON DC, APRIL 18-25, 2015 – BIIB033 is a monoclonal antibody targeting LINGO-1 (leucine-rich repeat and immunoglobulin domain-containing neurite outgrowth inhibitor receptor-interacting protein-1), which is expressed on neurons and oligodendrocytes and which impedes oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination.

No serious adverse events were reported in phase I testing (Tran et al. Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm 2014;1:e18). Read More

REPORT FROM THE 67TH AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY (AAN) ANNUAL MEETING – WASHINGTON DC, APRIL 18-25, 2015 – Two Canadian studies presented at AAN 2015 focused on the common problem of comorbidities in patients with multiple sclerosis. Pain and fatigue were examined using the Health Utilities Index pain attribute score and the Fatigue Impact Scale for Daily Use (DFIS) in 949 consecutive patients recruited from four MS centres (Fiest et al. AAN 2015; abstract P1.114).

Mean aged was 48.6 years; and 72.4% had a relapsing-remitting course. Patients with one or more comorbidities were more likely to report that pain disrupted normal daily activities, and had higher fatigue scores. Pain was most disruptive among MS patients with comorbid irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia. Fatigue was worse in patients with anxiety, depression and fibromyalgia. Read More