Association of brain volume loss and long-term disability outcomes in patients with multiple sclerosis treated with teriflunomide.

Background: Teriflunomide 14 mg significantly reduced brain volume loss (BVL) and confirmed disability worsening (CDW) compared with placebo in the TEMSO core study.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between BVL from Baseline to Year 2 in the TEMSO core study and long-term CDW (Year 7) in the TEMSO long-term extension (NCT00803049).

Methods: Structural Image Evaluation using Normalization of Atrophy determined BVL.

MRI-based prediction of conversion from clinically isolated syndrome to clinically definite multiple sclerosis using SVM and lesion geometry.

Neuroanatomical pattern classification using support vector machines (SVMs) has shown promising results in classifying Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients based on individual structural magnetic resonance images (MRI). To determine whether pattern classification using SVMs facilitates predicting conversion to clinically definite multiple sclerosis (CDMS) from clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). We used baseline MRI data from 364 patients with CIS, randomised to interferon beta-1b or placebo.

Fingolimod effect on gray matter, thalamus, and white matter in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To study the effect of fingolimod on deep gray matter (dGM), thalamus, cortical GM (cGM), white matter (WM), and ventricular volume (VV) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Methods: Data were pooled from 2 phase III studies. A total of 2,064 of 2,355 (88%) contributed to the analysis: fingolimod 0.

Teriflunomide slows BVL in relapsing MS: A reanalysis of the TEMSO MRI data set using SIENA.

Objective: To assess, using structural image evaluation using normalization of atrophy (SIENA), the effect of teriflunomide, a once-daily oral immunomodulator, on brain volume loss (BVL) in patients with relapsing forms of MS enrolled in the phase 3 TEMSO study.

Methods: TEMSO MR scans were analyzed (study personnel masked to treatment allocation) using SIENA to assess brain volume changes between baseline and years 1 and 2 in patients treated with placebo or teriflunomide. Treatment group comparisons were made via rank analysis of covariance.

Magnetization transfer ratio in lesions rather than normal-appearing brain relates to disability in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) is a semi-quantitative measure that seems to correlate with the degree of myelin loss and generally tissue destruction in multiple sclerosis (MS). Our objective was to comprehensively assess the MTR of lesions and normal appearing (NA) tissue separately in the white matter (WM), the cortex, the thalamus and the basal ganglia (BG) and determine their relative contribution to disability. In this cross-sectional study 71 patients were included (59 with relapsing-remitting MS, 12 with secondary progressive MS).

Switching from natalizumab to fingolimod: A randomized, placebo-controlled study in RRMS.

Objective: To investigate the effect of different natalizumab washout (WO) periods on recurrence of MRI and clinical disease activity in patients switching from natalizumab to fingolimod.

Methods: In this multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (TOFINGO), patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) were randomized 1:1:1 to 8-, 12-, or 16-week WO followed by fingolimod treatment over 32 weeks from last natalizumab infusion (LNI). Brain MRI was performed at baseline and weeks 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24.

Subcortical brain segmentation of two dimensional T1-weighted data sets with FMRIB's Integrated Registration and Segmentation Tool (FIRST).

Brain atrophy has been identified as an important contributing factor to the development of disability in multiple sclerosis (MS). In this respect, more and more interest is focussing on the role of deep grey matter (DGM) areas. Novel data analysis pipelines are available for the automatic segmentation of DGM using three-dimensional (3D) MRI data.

Brain atrophy: an in-vivo measure of disease activity in multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) has traditionally been considered to be primarily an inflammatory demyelinating disorder. Nowadays it is recognised as both an inflammatory and a neurodegenerative condition. This recognition is reflected in the development of new disease-modifying therapies that may offer the potential to reduce axon damage, either by inhibiting neurodegeneration or by promoting endogenous repair mechanisms.

Progression in disability and regional grey matter atrophy in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Background: In multiple sclerosis (MS) regional grey matter (GM) atrophy has been associated with disability progression.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare regional GM volume changes in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients with progressive and stable disability, using voxel-based morphometry (VBM).

Methods: We acquired baseline and 1-year follow-up 3-dimensional (3D) T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of RRMS patients, using two 1.

Six-year follow-up of a case series with non-communicating syringomyelia in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Non-communicating syringomyelia (NCS) has occasionally been described in case reports and small case series as an incidental finding of spinal cord (SC) pathology in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), but only little is known on the clinical course and progression of NCS, and in more general terms on the prognosis of patients with MS and NCS.

Methods: Nine patients with MS with known NCS at baseline and a control group of 18 age-, sex- and disease course-matched patients with MS without NCS were recruited for a follow-up visit after 6 years. All 27 patients underwent clinical examination and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and 8/9 patients with NCS were additionally studied with MRI of the SC.

Impact of fingolimod therapy on magnetic resonance imaging outcomes in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To assess the impact of fingolimod (FTY720) therapy on magnetic resonance imaging measures of inflammatory activity and tissue damage in patients participating in a 2-year, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study.

Design: Patients with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis were randomized to receive fingolimod, 0.5 mg; fingolimod, 1.

Spatiotemporal distribution of white matter lesions in relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. MS lesions show a typical distribution pattern and primarily affect the white matter (WM) in the periventricular zone and in the centrum semiovale.

Objective: To track lesion development during disease progression, we compared the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of lesions in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS).

3D GRASE arterial spin labelling reveals an inverse correlation of cortical perfusion with the white matter lesion volume in MS.

Background: We hypothesized that in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, reduced cortical perfusion is associated with chronic white matter injury.

Objective: To investigate the influence of different clinical and magnetic resonance imaging characteristics on cortical perfusion.

Methods: Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was assessed by applying a pulsed arterial spin labelling (ASL) technique combined with single-shot 3D-GRASE (gradient-spin echo) in a cohort of 165 MS patients with a relapsing-remitting (n=123) or secondary progressive disease course (n=42).

Multivariate pattern classification of gray matter pathology in multiple sclerosis.

Univariate analyses have identified gray matter (GM) alterations in different groups of MS patients. While these methods detect differences on the basis of the single voxel or cluster, multivariate methods like support vector machines (SVM) identify the complex neuroanatomical patterns of GM differences. Using multivariate linear SVM analysis and leave-one-out cross-validation, we aimed at identifying neuroanatomical GM patterns relevant for individual classification of MS patients.

Longitudinal gray matter changes in multiple sclerosis--differential scanner and overall disease-related effects.

Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) has been used repeatedly in single-center studies to investigate regional gray matter (GM) atrophy in multiple sclerosis (MS). In multi-center trials, across-scanner variations might interfere with the detection of disease-specific structural abnormalities, thereby potentially limiting the use of VBM. Here we evaluated longitudinally inter-site differences and inter-site comparability of regional GM in MS using VBM.

Effect of immunomodulatory medication on regional gray matter loss in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis--a longitudinal MRI study.

Prevention of global gray matter (GM) volume changes in multiple sclerosis (MS) are an objective in clinical trials, but the effect of immunomodulatory medication on regional GM atrophy progression is unclear. MRIs from 86 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) followed up for 24 months were analyzed using voxel-based morphometry. An analysis of covariance model (cluster threshold, corrected p<0.

Spatiotemporal distribution pattern of white matter lesion volumes and their association with regional grey matter volume reductions in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

The association of white matter (WM) lesions and grey matter (GM) atrophy is a feature in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The spatiotemporal distribution pattern of WM lesions, their relations to regional GM changes and the underlying dynamics are unclear. Here we combined parametric and non-parametric voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to clarify these issues.

Association of regional gray matter volume loss and progression of white matter lesions in multiple sclerosis - A longitudinal voxel-based morphometry study.

Previous studies have established regional gray matter (GM) volume loss in multiple sclerosis (MS) but the relationship between development of white matter (WM) lesions and changes of regional GM volumes is unclear. The present study addresses this issue by means of voxel-based morphometry (VBM). T1-weighted three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from MS patients followed up for 12 months were analyzed using VBM.

Incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy with volume supplementation--insights from a large cohort.

Objective: The present study was performed to determine the effect of combined intravenous and oral volume supplementation on the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Subjects And Methods: Consecutive patients (n = 958) receiving iomeprol 350 during PCI were evaluated prospectively for the development of CIN. All patients received protocol-defined intravenous and oral volume supplementation.

Evaluation of patients treated with natalizumab for progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

Background: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) was reported to have developed in three patients treated with natalizumab. We conducted an evaluation to determine whether PML had developed in any other treated patients.

Methods: We invited patients who had participated in clinical trials in which they received recent or long-term treatment with natalizumab for multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, or rheumatoid arthritis to participate.