Emergency delivery in case of suspected placenta accreta spectrum: Can it be predicted?

Introduction: The main goal of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) screening is to enable delivery in an expert center in the presence of an experienced team at an appropriate time. Our study aimed to identify independent risk factors for emergency deliveries within the IS-PAS 2.0 database cohort and establish a multivariate predictive model.

Interferon Beta-1a versus Glatiramer Acetate: Changes of Innate Immunity in a Group of Women with Multiple Sclerosis.

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune demyelinating disease that secondarily leads to axonal loss and associated brain atrophy. Disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) have previously been studied for their ability to affect specific immunity. This study investigates the effect of interferon beta-1a (INF) and glatiramer acetate (GA) administration on changes in innate immunity cell populations.

Assessment of Functional Capacity of Immune System in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis using QuantiFERON Monitor.

Background: The QuantiFERON®-Monitor (QFM) is an assay that measures interferon- production and was developed to provide an objective marker of complex immune response. In this study, we evaluated the use of the QFM test in patients with two forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), relapsing-remitting form treated with fingolimod (fMS) and secondarily progressive form not treated pharmacologically (pMS), and in healthy controls (HC). We hypothesized that IFN- levels would be lower in those subjects who are relatively more immunosuppressed and higher in those with normal or activated immune function.

The clinical and paraclinical correlates of employment status in multiple sclerosis.

Purpose: To identify the clinical and paraclinical markers of employment status in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods: This was a cross-sectional sub-study investigating 1226 MS patients. To minimalized confounding effect, two groups of patients, matched by sex, age, and education, were selected: 307 patients with full time employment and 153 unemployed patients receiving disability pension.

Multiple sclerosis and immune system biomarkers: Novel comparison in glatiramer acetate and interferon beta-1a-treated patient groups.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). T cells and B lymphocytes are involved in the development of this disease.

Methods: The following biomarkers were determined in peripheral blood in 28 patients treated with glatiramer acetate (GA) and 21 patients treated with interferon beta 1-a (IFN): IL-10, BAFF, Mx1, IgG, IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 (at baseline and after 6 months of treatment).

Comparison of Therapies in MS Patients After the First Demyelinating Event in Real Clinical Practice in the Czech Republic: Data From the National Registry ReMuS.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system. Well-established drugs used for MS patients after the first demyelinating event in the Czech Republic include glatiramer acetate (GA), interferon beta-1a (IFNβ-1a), IFN beta-1b (IFNβ-1b), peginterferon beta-1a (peg-IFNβ-1a), and teriflunomide. The objective of this observational study was to compare the effectiveness of the abovementioned drugs in patients with MS who initiated their therapy after the first demyelinating event.

Interpretation of Brain Volume Increase in Multiple Sclerosis.

Background And Purpose: A high variability of brain MRI volume change measurement renders challenging its interpretation in multiple sclerosis (MS). Occurrence and clinical relevance of observed apparent brain volume increase (BVI) in MS patients have not been investigated yet. The objective was to quantify the prevalence and factors associated with BVI.

The role of the immune system and the biomarker CD3 + CD4 + CD45RA-CD62L- in the pathophysiology of migraine.

The role of the immune system as an integral component of the inflammatory response in the pathophysiology of migraine remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in immune system parameters (acquired immunity parameters) in patients with episodic migraine (EM) and in healthy controls. In EM patients, we aimed to determine whether the changes found in peripheral blood parameters were related to migraine severity according to the standardised MIDAS and HIT-6 tests.

Innate Immune System and Multiple Sclerosis. Granulocyte Numbers Are Reduced in Patients Affected by Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis during the Remission Phase.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects the central nervous system. The cause of MS is still unknown, and the role of innate immunity is still poorly understood.

Objective: The goal of this study was to understand whether, compared to healthy controls, the elements of innate immunity are altered in the blood of MS patients in the remitting phase.

Additive Effect of Spinal Cord Volume, Diffuse and Focal Cord Pathology on Disability in Multiple Sclerosis.

Spinal cord (SC) pathology is strongly associated with disability in multiple sclerosis (MS). We aimed to evaluate the association between focal and diffuse SC abnormalities and spinal cord volume and to assess their contribution to physical disability in MS patients. This large sample-size cross-sectional study investigated 1,249 patients with heterogeneous MS phenotypes.

One-Year Results of Fixed Aflibercept Treatment Regime in Type 3 Neovascularization.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of intravitreal aflibercept injections in treatment-naive type 3 neovascularization using a fixed treatment regime during the first year of therapy.

Methods: Fourteen eyes of 14 patients diagnosed with type 3 neovascularization were studied. All patients were treated with intravitreal aflibercept injections using a fixed treatment regime of 3 consecutive monthly dosages followed by 2-month interval injections.

CD4+/CD45RO+: A Potential Biomarker of the Clinical Response to Glatiramer Acetate.

: Glatiramer acetate (GA) is an effective treatment for the earliest stages of multiple sclerosis (MS)-clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) or clinically definite MS (CDMS). Objective: This study aims to determine the differences in the lymphocyte population (at baseline and the course of five years) between confirmed sustained progression (CSP) and non-CSP groups and to identify potential biomarkers among these parameters that can predict a positive response to the treatment. : Twelve male and 60 female patients were included in the study.

Do eyes with and without optic neuritis in multiple sclerosis age equally?

Purpose: Anterior visual pathway reflects axonal loss caused by both optic neuritis (ON) and neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS). Although the axonal injury post-ON is thought to be complete by 6 months of onset, most studies using optical coherence tomography (OCT) to evaluate retinal changes as a marker of neurodegeneration exclude eyes with a history of ON or consider them separately. The objective of this study was to assess whether the eyes post-ON (>6 months) show in later years different rate of chronic retinal changes than the fellow eyes not affected by ON.

Lymphocyte populations and their change during five-year glatiramer acetate treatment.

Background: The goal of this study was to determine the characteristics that are affected in patients treated with glatiramer acetate (GA).

Methods: A total of 113 patients were included in this study. Patients were treated with glatiramer acetate (subcutaneous injection, 20 mg, each day).

Combining clinical and magnetic resonance imaging markers enhances prediction of 12-year employment status in multiple sclerosis patients.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is frequently diagnosed in the most productive years of adulthood and is often associated with worsening employment status. However, reliable predictors of employment status change are lacking.

Objective: To identify early clinical and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers of employment status worsening in MS patients at 12-year follow-up.

The Role of High-Frequency MRI Monitoring in the Detection of Brain Atrophy in Multiple Sclerosis.

Background And Purpose: A relatively high intraindividual variability of longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain volume loss (BVL) measurements over time renders challenging its application to individual multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Objective of this study was to investigate if high-frequency brain MRI monitoring affects identification of pathological BVL in an individual patient.

Methods: One hundred fifty-seven relapsing-remitting MS patients had seven MRI scans over 12 months follow-up.

Cognitive clinico-radiological paradox in early stages of multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To investigate whether the strength of the association between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) metrics and cognitive outcomes differs between various multiple sclerosis subpopulations.

Methods: A total of 1052 patients were included in this large cross-sectional study. Brain MRI (T1 and T2 lesion volume and brain parenchymal fraction) and neuropsychological assessment (Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis and Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test) were performed.

Pathological cut-offs of global and regional brain volume loss in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Volumetric MRI surrogate markers of disease progression are lacking.

Objective: To establish cut-off values of brain volume loss able to discriminate between healthy controls and MS patients.

Methods: In total, 386 patients after first demyelinating event suggestive of MS (CIS), 964 relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients, 63 secondary-progressive MS (SPMS) patients and 58 healthy controls were included in this longitudinal study.

Towards personalized therapy for multiple sclerosis: prediction of individual treatment response.

Timely initiation of effective therapy is crucial for preventing disability in multiple sclerosis; however, treatment response varies greatly among patients. Comprehensive predictive models of individual treatment response are lacking. Our aims were: (i) to develop predictive algorithms for individual treatment response using demographic, clinical and paraclinical predictors in patients with multiple sclerosis; and (ii) to evaluate accuracy, and internal and external validity of these algorithms.

A Novel Semiautomated Pipeline to Measure Brain Atrophy and Lesion Burden in Multiple Sclerosis: A Long-Term Comparative Study.

Background And Purpose: Lesion burden and brain volume changes are frequent end points in research but nowadays are becoming important in the clinical practice of multiple sclerosis (MS). The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures obtained by in-house developed ScanView software and commonly used volumetric techniques for assessment of T2 lesion and whole brain volumes and their changes.

Methods: Together 3,340 MRI scans from 209 patients after first demyelinating event suggestive of MS, 181 relapsing-remitting MS patients and 43 controls were analyzed.

Serum lipid profile changes predict neurodegeneration in interferon-β1a-treated multiple sclerosis patients.

The purpose of this work was to determine whether changes in cholesterol profiles after interferon-β (IFN-β)1a treatment initiation following the first demyelinating event suggestive of multiple sclerosis are associated with clinical and MRI outcomes over 4 years. A group of 131 patients (age: 27.9 ± 7.

Quantification of Gait Abnormalities in Healthy-Looking Multiple Sclerosis Patients (with Expanded Disability Status Scale 0-1.5).

Background: Gait impairment is a common symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, but there is a lack of evidence about gait performance in the group of MS patients with no apparent disability. The aim of our study was to evaluate gait characteristics in MS patients with no apparent impairment of walking and with an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS 0-1.5), and to determine whether any abnormalities are detectable by common clinical tests.

Is no evidence of disease activity an achievable goal in MS patients on intramuscular interferon beta-1a treatment over long-term follow-up?

Background: No evidence of disease activity (NEDA) has been proposed as a new treatment goal in multiple sclerosis (MS). NEDA-3 status is defined as the absence of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; new/enlarging/enhancing lesions and increased whole brain volume loss in NEDA-4) and clinical disease activity.

Objectives: To investigate the persistence of NEDA status over long-term follow-up in MS patients treated with weekly intramuscular interferon beta-1a.

Combining clinical and magnetic resonance imaging markers enhances prediction of 12-year disability in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Disease progression and treatment efficacy vary among individuals with multiple sclerosis. Reliable predictors of individual disease outcomes are lacking.

Objective: To examine the accuracy of the early prediction of 12-year disability outcomes using clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters.