Real world experience with teriflunomide in multiple sclerosis: the TER-Italy study.

Objective: To identify baseline factors associated with disease activity in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) under teriflunomide treatment.

Methods: This was an independent, multi-centre, retrospective post-marketing study. We analysed data of 1,507 patients who started teriflunomide since October 2014 and were regularly followed in 28 Centres in Italy.

Acute Fingolimod Effects on Baroreflex and Cardiovascular Autonomic Control in Multiple Sclerosis.

Background: Fingolimod, an oral drug used in multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment, exerts its action through S1P-receptor engagement. These receptors are also expressed in heart and endothelial cells. The engagement of receptors on the atrial heart myocytes may cause a slowing effect on heart rate (HR).

Two-year real-life efficacy, tolerability and safety of dimethyl fumarate in an Italian multicentre study.

Background: Dimethyl-fumarate (DMF) demonstrated efficacy and safety in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) in randomized clinical trials.

Objectives: To track and evaluate post-market DMF profile in real-world setting.

Materials And Methods: Patients receiving DMF referred to Italian MS centres were enrolled and prospectively followed, collecting demographic clinical and radiological data.

Diagnostic tools for assessment of urinary dysfunction in MS patients without urinary disturbances.

Many guidelines are available for the management of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, but no agreement exists on the best approach for subjects without LUTSs. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether LUTSs can be detected in MS patients asymptomatic for urinary dysfunction, comparing three different tools [measure of post-void residual volume (PRV), bladder diary (BD), a focused questionnaire (IPSS)], and whether disability, disease duration and signs of pyramidal involvement are linked to their subclinical presence. 178 MS patients (118 women) have been included (mean age 41.

Fingolimod effects on left ventricular function in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Cardiovascular side effects such as bradycardia and atrioventricular block were observed during the early clinical trials of fingolimod in multiple sclerosis, and one cardiovascular- linked death has been reported in the post-marketing period.

Objective: To investigate the medium-term effects of fingolimod on heart function in order to obtain further insights into its cardiac safety profile.

Methods: The study involved 53 patients starting treatment with fingolimod 0.

Oxidative stress is differentially present in multiple sclerosis courses, early evident, and unrelated to treatment.

Background: Oxidative stress is well documented in multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions, but its correspondence at peripheral level is still controversial. Objective. To evaluate peripheral oxidative stress markers in MS patients.

Effects of elastic compression on hypomobility edema and fibrinolysis activation in multiple sclerosis.

Aim: In multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, loss of mobility leads to edema of the legs and raises their risk of thrombosis. They cannot use pharmacological prophylaxis over the long course of the disease. Elastic compression stockings are indicated to prevent venous thrombosis for hypomobile patients, and might therefore also limit edema.

Atlas-based versus individual-based fiber tracking of the corpus callosum in patients with multiple sclerosis: reliability and clinical correlations.

Background And Purpose: In multiple sclerosis (MS), the presence of lesions and normal-appearing white matter damage may affect the reliability of diffusion tensor (DT) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based tractography. We compared the performance of an individual-based method for corpus callosum (CC) fiber tracking in MS with those of two atlas-based methods.

Methods: Brain DT MRI scans were acquired from 35 patients with MS and 18 age-matched healthy volunteers (HV).

Detection of viral DNA sequences in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis.

The role of viruses in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) is a subject of heated debate. The presence of six different neurotropic viruses was sought, including JC virus (JCV), varicella zoster virus (VZV), human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples collected from 51 patients with MS and 30 patients with other neurological diseases. Cell-free or cell-associated viral DNA in CSF samples was detected by real-time PCR, and viral loads were determined.

Risk of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in bedridden or wheelchair-bound multiple sclerosis patients: a prospective study.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) often causes progressive loss of mobility, leading to limb paralysis. Venous and lymphatic stasis is a risk condition for venous thromboembolism (VTE). There is, however, no data on the frequency of VTE complicating the progression of MS.

Multiple sclerosis-associated retroviral agent (MSRV)-stimulated cytokine production in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Background: Human endogenous retroviruses are suggested to play a pathogenic role in multiple sclerosis (MS); one of such retroviruses, the MS-associated retroviral agent (MSRV) has repeatedly been isolated in MS patients.

Objective And Methods: We analyzed cytokine profiles in MSRV envelope protein (MSRV ENV-SU)-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 30 relapsing-remitting MS patients with either acute (AMS) (n = 13) or stable (SMS) (n = 17) disease. Results suggest that MSRV ENV-SU induces the production of inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (P < 0.

A pilot trial of low-dose naltrexone in primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

A sixth month phase II multicenter-pilot trial with a low dose of the opiate antagonist Naltrexone (LDN) has been carried out in 40 patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). The primary end points were safety and tolerability. Secondary outcomes were efficacy on spasticity, pain, fatigue, depression, and quality of life.

Cervical cord magnetization transfer ratio and clinical changes over 18 months in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a preliminary study.

Background: Magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) permits the quantitative estimation of cervical cord tissue damage in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objective: To determine whether a single time-point MTR scan of the cervical cord is associated with short-term disease evolution in patients with relapsing-remitting (RR) MS.

Methods: Using a 1.

Extracorporeal photochemotherapy: a safety and tolerability pilot study with preliminary efficacy results in refractory relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP) is an immunomodulating procedure consisting of autologous reinfusion of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) after direct exposure to 8-methoxy-psoralen and UV-A. It has been described as a successful treatment for different T-cell-mediated diseases and preliminary results suggest that ECP might be effective in the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, but does not significantly alter the course of the progressive form of MS. In this study, we report the safety data and some preliminary efficacy evidence obtained using ECP in the treatment of five patients with refractory relapsing-remitting (RR) MS: in most cases ECP induced a reduction in the relapse rate and an EDSS stabilisation, with an apparent general MRI stabilisation.

Magnetization transfer magnetic resonance imaging and clinical changes in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Background: Magnetization transfer (MT) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide in vivo quantitative estimates of microscopic tissue damage in normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) and gray matter (GM) from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objective: To determine whether a one-time MT MRI can provide markers of short-term disease evolution in patients with relapsing-remitting MS.

Design: Eighteen-month observational study.

Programmed cell death of myelin basic protein-specific T lymphocytes is reduced in patients with acute multiple sclerosis.

We investigated the apoptosis of myelin basic protein (MBP)-specific T lymphocytes in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with acute (AMS) or stable (SMS) MS by evaluating the expression of apoptosis markers on peripheral cells. Cells of healthy controls (HC) were evaluated as well. Results showed that mitogen-stimulated apoptosis was comparable among patients and controls, whereas MBP-stimulated CD4+ and CD8+ 7-AAD+ and 7-AAD+ Fas+ cell (apoptotic cells) were significantly reduced in AMS patients.

Progressive gray matter damage in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a longitudinal diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging study.

Background: Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT MRI) has the potential to provide in vivo information about tissue microstructure. In multiple sclerosis (MS), DT MRI has disclosed the presence of occult structural damage in the normal-appearing brain tissues.

Objective: To investigate whether DT MRI is sensitive to longitudinal changes of brain damage that may occur beyond the resolution of T2-weighted images in patients with relapsing-remitting MS.

Increased cytokine release from peripheral blood cells after acute stroke.

Cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha can play pathogenetic or protective roles in stroke. They are increased in the brain after experimental ischemia and in the CSF of patients with stroke. However, their presence in the periphery is still controversial.

Effect of anticonvulsant drugs on peripheral benzodiazepine receptors of human lymphocytes.

Anticonvulsant drugs, such as carbamazepine, may exert some of their effects through peripheral benzodiazepine receptors (PBR), which are present in glial cells and regulate the synthesis of neurosteroids. PBR have also been demonstrated in human lymphocytes, where they might be used as peripheral markers of anticonvulsant drug effects. In the present paper we investigated the interaction of various antiepileptic drugs with PBR of human lymphocytes and evaluated possible effects of acute and chronic treatment with these drugs.