Long-Term Safety of Teriflunomide in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: Results of Prospective Comparative Studies in Three European Countries.

Background And Objectives: Teriflunomide is a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) for multiple sclerosis (MS). This post authorisation safety study assessed risks of adverse events of special interest (AESI) associated with teriflunomide use.

Methods: Secondary use of individual data from the Danish MS Registry (DMSR), the French National Health Data System (SNDS), the Belgian national database of health care claims (AIM-IMA) and the Belgian Treatments in MS Registry (Beltrims).

Thyroid disorders in alemtuzumab-treated multiple sclerosis patients: a Belgian consensus on diagnosis and management.

This paper deals with thyroid disease that can occur after treatment with alemtuzumab (humanized monoclonal anti-CD52) for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). The 5-year incidence of thyroid adverse events in phase 3 clinical trials is up to 40.7%.

Does including the full CVLT-II and BVMT-R improve BICAMS? Evidence from a Belgian (Dutch) validation study.

Background: The Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) is a fast, easy-to-administer and already widely validated neuropsychological battery for cognition in multiple sclerosis.

Objective: The goals of our study were to validate the BICAMS in a Belgian Dutch-speaking population and to investigate to what extent including extensive versions of two of the three BICAMS subtests improved its psychometric qualities.

Methods: Ninety-seven persons with MS and ninety-seven healthy controls were included and group-matched on age, education level and gender.

Is the Nociception Coma Scale-Revised a Useful Clinical Tool for Managing Pain in Patients With Disorders of Consciousness?

Objectives: Our objective was to assess the clinical usefulness of the Nociception Coma Scale-revised (NCS-R) in pain management of patients with disorders of consciousness.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-nine patients with potential painful conditions (eg, due to fractures, decubitus ulcers, or spasticity) were assessed during nursing cares before and after the administration of an analgesic treatment tailored to each patient's clinical status. In addition to the NCS-R, the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was used before and during treatment to observe fluctuations in consciousness.

Safety and efficacy of natalizumab in Belgian multiple sclerosis patients: subgroup analysis of the natalizumab observational program.

Natalizumab (Tysabri(®)) is highly efficacious in controlling disease activity in relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. As it is one of the more recent therapies for MS, there remains a need for long-term safety and efficacy data of natalizumab in a clinical practice setting. The Tysabri observational program (TOP) is an open-label, multicenter, multinational, prospective observational study, aiming to recruit up to 6,000 patients with relapsing-remitting MS from Europe, Canada and Australia.

Consensus guidelines on the neurologist's role in the management of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction in multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To review current management of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) in MS patients and give recommendations on the joint role of the neurologist and urologist in NLUTD management.

Methods: An algorithm for evaluation and referral of MS patients to urologists was created. It is an outcome of discussions about current knowledge, existing guidelines, and key issues during two Belgian consensus meetings attended by neurologists, urologists and other stakeholders involved in MS management.

Boosting endogenous neuroprotection in multiple sclerosis: the ASsociation of Inosine and Interferon beta in relapsing- remitting Multiple Sclerosis (ASIIMS) trial.

Anti-inflammatory drugs are effective on relapses, but neuroprotective agents to prevent disability are still unavailable. Uric acid has neuroprotective effects in experimental models including encephalomyelitis and appears to be involved in multiple sclerosis. Oral administration of inosine, a precursor of uric acid, increases serum uric acid levels and is well tolerated.

Associations of apolipoprotein E gene with ischemic stroke and intracranial atherosclerosis.

The apolipoprotein E (APOE) epsilon4 allele is associated with elevated cholesterol and risk of atherosclerosis. However, its role in ischemic stroke (IS) remains controversial. We investigated a possible link between IS or the severity of intracranial atherosclerosis and the APOE promoter polymorphisms -219G/T and +113G/C, involved in regulating APOE transcription.

A unique episode of REM sleep behavior disorder triggered during surgery for Parkinson's disease.

REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is characterized by vigorous movements during REM sleep. Here, the authors report the case of a patient who presented such a disorder immediately after the implantation of the definitive electrode for left subthalamic stimulation. Interestingly, this was and has remained a unique episode in his medical history.