Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Diagnostic Biomarkers in Multiple Sclerosis: A Machine Learning Study.

An imbalance of inflammatory/anti-inflammatory and oxidant/antioxidant molecules has been implicated in the demyelination and axonal damage in multiple sclerosis (MS). The current study aimed to evaluate the plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, soluble TNF receptor (sTNFR)1, sTNFR2, adiponectin, hydroperoxides, advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), nitric oxide metabolites, total plasma antioxidant capacity using the total radical-trapping antioxidant parameter (TRAP), sulfhydryl (SH) groups, as well as serum levels of zinc in 174 MS patients and 182 controls. The results show that MS is characterized by lowered levels of zinc, adiponectin, TRAP, and SH groups and increased levels of AOPP.

Immune-inflammatory, metabolic and hormonal biomarkers are associated with the clinical forms and disability progression in patients with multiple sclerosis: A follow-up study.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of immune-inflammatory, metabolic, hormonal, and oxidative stress biomarkers in disability progression (DP) and clinical forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The study evaluated 140 MS patients at admission (T0), and eight (T8) and 16 months (T16) later. The Expanded Disability Status Score (EDSS) and biomarkers were determined at T0, T8, and T16.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and its soluble receptors are associated with disability, disability progression and clinical forms of multiple sclerosis.

Background: The association between tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, soluble TNF receptor (sTNFR)1 and sTNFR2 with clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS) remains unclear.

Objective: To examine whether TNF-α, sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 are associated with MS diagnosis, disability, disability progression and clinical forms of MS.

Materials And Subjects: The study included 147 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), 21 with progressive clinical forms (ProgMS) and 70 controls.

Prolactin is Not Associated with Disability and Clinical Forms in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

An association between prolactinemia with disability, clinical forms, and sex of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of prolactin with clinical forms and accumulating disability over time in patients with MS. A longitudinal study was carried out with 101 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and 19 with progressive forms of MS (ProgMS).

The rs3761548 FOXP3 variant is associated with multiple sclerosis and transforming growth factor β1 levels in female patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between rs3761548 FOXP3 (-3279 C > A) variant and multiple sclerosis (MS), disability, disability progression, as well as transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and interleukin (IL)-10 plasma levels in MS patients.

Methods And Subjects: The study included 170 MS patients and 182 controls. Disability was evaluated using Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and categorized as mild (EDSS ≤ 3) and moderate/high (EDSS > 3).

Disability in multiple sclerosis is associated with age and inflammatory, metabolic and oxidative/nitrosative stress biomarkers: results of multivariate and machine learning procedures.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the immune-inflammatory, metabolic, and nitro-oxidative stress (IM&NO) biomarkers as predictors of disability in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. A total of 122 patients with MS were included; their disability was evaluated using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and IM&NO biomarkers were evaluated in peripheral blood samples. Patients with EDSS ≥3 were older and showed higher homocysteine, uric acid, advanced oxidized protein products (AOPP) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol and higher rate of metabolic syndrome (MetS), while high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol was lower than in patients with EDSS <3; 84.

Brazilian Consensus for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis: Brazilian Academy of Neurology and Brazilian Committee on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis.

The expanding therapeutic arsenal in multiple sclerosis (MS) has allowed for more effective and personalized treatment, but the choice and management of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) is becoming increasingly complex. In this context, experts from the Brazilian Committee on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis and the Neuroimmunology Scientific Department of the Brazilian Academy of Neurology have convened to establish this Brazilian Consensus for the Treatment of MS, based on their understanding that neurologists should be able to prescribe MS DMTs according to what is better for each patient, based on up-to-date evidence and practice. We herein propose practical recommendations for the treatment of MS, with the main focus on the choice and management of DMTs, as well as present a review of the scientific rationale supporting therapeutic strategies in MS.

Elevated plasma homocysteine levels are associated with disability progression in patients with multiple sclerosis.

The aims of this study were to verify whether hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with disability progression in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients and whether TNF pathways and cellular adhesion molecules (CAM) are involved in this process. This study included 180 MS patients, who were divided according to their levels of homocysteine (Hyperhomocysteinemia ≥11.35 μmol/L) and 204 healthy individuals (control group).

Insulin resistance, atherogenicity, and iron metabolism in multiple sclerosis with and without depression: Associations with inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers and uric acid.

Depression is accompanied by metabolic disorders in iron metabolism, lipoproteins, and insulin resistance. We measured plasma levels of ferritin, iron, lipids, insulin, and glucose and computed the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA2IR) and atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) in MS patients with and without depression and healthy controls. Explanatory variables were serum uric acid, interleukin (IL)-6, lipid hydroperoxides (CL-LOOH), albumin, and C-reactive protein (CRP).

Frequency of autoimmune disorders and autoantibodies in patients with neuromyelitis optica.

Objective: The aim of this study was to report the frequency of autoimmune disorders and autoantibodies in 22 patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO), as well as whether the seropositivity for autoantibodies differs between anti-aquaporin 4 (AQP4) positive and AQP4 negative NMO patients.

Methods: Demographic, medical records, and a profile of autoantibodies were evaluated in 22 NMO patients, including AQP4, anti-thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor, antinuclear antibodies (ANA), anti-thyroperoxidase (anti-TPO), anti-thyroglobulin (anti-Tg), anti-double-stranded DNA, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic, anti-cyclic citrullinate peptide, rheumatoid factor, anti-SSA/Ro, anti-SSB/La, anti-Smith antibodies (anti-Sm), anti-ribonucleoprotein, anti-nucleosome, and anti-Scl70. Thyroid-stimulating hormone and free thyroxin were measured.

Validation of the Brazilian version of the neurological fatigue index for multiple sclerosis.

Unlabelled: The Neurological Fatigue Index for Multiple Sclerosis (NFI-MS) is a new fatigue assessment instrument. The aim of this study was to cross-culturally adapt and assess the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the NFI-MS (NFI-MS/BR).

Method: Two hundred and forty subjects with MS were recruited for this study.

Cytokine Profile in Patients with Progressive Multiple Sclerosis and Its Association with Disease Progression and Disability.

Inflammation is the driving force for brain injury in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The objective of the present study is to delineate the serum cytokine profile in patients with progressive MS in a Southern Brazilian population compared with healthy controls and patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and its associations with disease progression and disability. We included 32 patients with progressive MS, 126 with RRMS, and 40 healthy controls.

Genetic, Immune-Inflammatory, and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers as Predictors for Disability and Disease Progression in Multiple Sclerosis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the TNFβ NcoI polymorphism (rs909253) and immune-inflammatory, oxidative, and nitrosative stress (IO&NS) biomarkers as predictors of disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS). We included 212 MS patients (150 female, 62 male, mean (±standard deviation (SD)) age = 42.7 ± 13.

Inflammatory and metabolic markers and short-time outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke in relation to TOAST subtypes.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between inflammatory and metabolic markers and short-time outcome with acute ischemic stroke subtypes. A total of 121 patients was classified according to TOAST criteria, such as large artery atherosclerosis (LAAS), lacunar infarct (LAC), cardioembolic infarct (CEI), other determined etiology (ODE), and undetermined etiology (UDE). The functional impairment was evaluated within the first eight hours of stroke and the outcome after three-month follow-up using the modified Rankin Scale.

Postpartum Treatment With Immunoglobulin Does Not Prevent Relapses of Multiple Sclerosis in the Mother.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, neurological, immune-mediated disease that can worsen in the postpartum period. There is no consensus on the use of immunoglobulin for prevention of disease relapses after delivery. We have shown that the controversial beneficial effect of immunoglobulin given immediately after birth could not be observed in patients with MS.

Tumor necrosis factor beta NcoI polymorphism is associated with inflammatory and metabolic markers in multiple sclerosis patients.

To evaluate the association between the tumor necrosis factor beta (TNF-β) NcoI polymorphism and inflammatory and metabolic markers in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and the association of these markers with disease disability, a 782 base-pair fragment of the TNF-β gene was amplified from genomic DNA and digested with the NcoI restriction enzyme. The serum levels of numerous cytokines (IL-1β, IL-12, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-17) serum lipid levels, plasma insulin levels, and the Homeostasis Model Assessment-Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) levels were evaluated in 123 female and 43 male patients with MS. Females carrying the TNFB2/B2 genotype presented with decreased IL-4 and IL-10 levels and increased TNF-α, glucose, insulin, and HOMA-IR levels; moreover, there were positive correlations between EDSS and glucose and between EDSS and HOMA-IR in these females.

Tumor necrosis factor beta NcoI polymorphism (rs909253) is associated with inflammatory and metabolic markers in acute ischemic stroke.

Polymorphisms in genes coding for pro-inflammatory molecules represent important factors for the pathogenesis and outcome of stroke. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the tumor necrosis factor beta (TNF-β) NcoI (rs909253) polymorphism with inflammatory and metabolic markers in acute ischemic stroke. Ninety-three patients and 134 controls were included.

Disability in patients with multiple sclerosis: influence of insulin resistance, adiposity, and oxidative stress.

Objective: The aims of the present study were to report the prevalence of insulin resistance (IR) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS); to verify differences in metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers, and oxidative stress in patients with MS with or without IR; and to assess if IR and adiposity are associated with disability in these patients.

Methods: The study enrolled 110 patients with MS and 175 healthy individuals. Patients with MS were divided in those with IR (n = 44) and those without (n = 66).

Multiple sclerosis in South America: month of birth in different latitudes does not seem to interfere with the prevalence or progression of the disease.

Objective: To assess whether the month of birth in different latitudes of South America might influence the presence or severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life.

Methods: Neurologists in four South American countries working at MS units collected data on their patients' month of birth, gender, age, and disease progression.

Results: Analysis of data from 1207 MS patients and 1207 control subjects did not show any significant variation in the month of birth regarding the prevalence of MS in four latitude bands (0-10; 11-20; 21-30; and 31-40 degrees).