Potential disease trigger as a therapeutic option: infliximab for paradoxical reaction in tuberculosis of the central nervous system.

A 36-year-old man of central Asian origin was diagnosed with subacute disseminated tuberculosis. Initially, central nervous system involvement was suggested by an encephalopathic condition and MRI showing extensive basal and spinal meningitis. After initiation of anti-tuberculosis drugs and corticosteroid therapy, clinical and radiological deterioration of spinal damage was noted.

An algorithm using clinical data to predict the optimal individual glucocorticoid dosage to treat multiple sclerosis relapses.

Background: Glucocorticoid (GC) pulse therapy is used for multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse treatment; however, GC resistance is a common problem. Considering that GC dosing is individual with several response-influencing factors, establishing a predictive model, which supports clinicians to estimate the maximum GC dose above which no additional therapeutic value can be expected presents a huge clinical need.

Method: We established two, independent retrospective cohorts of MS patients.

Evaluation of diagnostic criteria and red flags of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein encephalomyelitis in a clinical routine cohort.

Aims: Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies (MOG-IgG) have been proposed to define "MOG encephalomyelitis" (MOG-EM), with published diagnostic and "red flag" criteria. We aimed to evaluate these criteria in a routine clinical setting.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with borderline/positive MOG-IgG and applied the diagnostic and red flag criteria to determine likelihood of MOG-EM diagnosis.

c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase as a Therapeutic Target in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis.

c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) is upregulated during multiple sclerosis relapses and at the peak of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). We aim to investigate the effects of pharmacological pan-JNK inhibition on the course of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) EAE disease using in vivo and in vitro experimental models. EAE was induced in female C57BL/6JRj wild type mice using MOG.

Dimethyl fumarate vs fingolimod following different pretreatments: A retrospective study.

Objective: Despite frequent use of fingolimod (FTY) and dimethyl fumarate (DMF), studies comparing clinical efficacy and withdrawal rates of DMF and FTY concerning different pretreatment situations are rare. The aim of our study was to compare relapse occurrence and withdrawal rates of DMF and FTY in different pretreatment situations.

Methods: Patients from 4 European centers were retrospectively identified and followed until the 1st relapse after treatment start or if no relapse occurred for a maximum of 2 years.

Reduced serum immunoglobulin G concentrations in multiple sclerosis: prevalence and association with disease-modifying therapy and disease course.

Background: In multiple sclerosis (MS), the frequency of hypogammaglobulinemia is unknown. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of reduced immunoglobulin (Ig) concentrations and its association with immunotherapy and disease course in two independent MS cohorts.

Methods: In our retrospective cross-sectional study, MS patients and control patients with head or neck pain from Bern University Hospital (Bern, Switzerland) and Eginition University Hospital (Athens, Greece) were included.

Time course of lymphocyte repopulation after dimethyl fumarate-induced grade 3 lymphopenia: contribution of patient age.

Background: Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is licensed for treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). DMF can induce lymphopenia, which is assumed to increase the risk for opportunistic infections like progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. Our goal for this work was to estimate the frequency of grade 3 lymphopenia in DMF-treated patients with RRMS and to characterize patient-sided factors influencing the time course of lymphocyte repopulation after DMF withdrawal.

Vitamin D increases glucocorticoid efficacy via inhibition of mTORC1 in experimental models of multiple sclerosis.

The limited efficacy of glucocorticoids (GCs) during therapy of acute relapses in multiple sclerosis (MS) leads to long-term disability. We investigated the potential of vitamin D (VD) to enhance GC efficacy and the mechanisms underlying this VD/GC interaction. In vitro, GC receptor (GR) expression levels were quantified by ELISA and induction of T cell apoptosis served as a functional readout to assess synergistic 1,25(OH)D (1,25D)/GC effects.

Age-dependent variation of female preponderance across different phenotypes of multiple sclerosis: A retrospective cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the CNS, which predominantly affects women. Studies investigating the sex distribution in MS are sparse. We aim to analyze the female-to-male ratio (F/M ratio) in different MS phenotypes in association with age at diagnosis and year of birth.