Disease progression in the first 5 years of treatment in multiple sclerosis: Predictive value of early brain and lesion volume changes.

Background: Whether the degree of inflammation (and its resolution) and neurodegeneration after treatment initiation predicts disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS) remains unclear.

Objectives: To assess the predictive value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived brain and lesion volume (LV) changes in years 1 and 2 of treatment for disease progression.

Methods: Patients receiving early interferon beta-1a treatment in REFLEX/REFLEXION ( = 262) were included.

The spatio-temporal relationship between concurrent lesion and brain atrophy changes in early multiple sclerosis: A post-hoc analysis of the REFLEXION study.

Background: White matter (WM) lesions and brain atrophy are present early in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, their spatio-temporal relationship remains unclear.

Methods: Yearly magnetic resonance images were analysed in 387 patients with a first clinical demyelinating event (FCDE) from the 5-year REFLEXION study.

The spatio-temporal relationship between white matter lesion volume changes and brain atrophy in clinically isolated syndrome and early multiple sclerosis.

Background: White matter lesions and brain atrophy are both present early in multiple sclerosis. However, the spatio-temporal relationship between atrophy and lesion processes remains unclear.

Methods: Yearly magnetic resonance images were analyzed in 392 patients with clinically isolated syndrome from the 5-year REFLEX/REFLEXION studies.

Clinical applicability of quantitative atrophy measures on MRI in patients suspected of Alzheimer's disease.

Objectives: Neurodegeneration in suspected Alzheimer's disease can be determined using visual rating or quantitative volumetric assessments. We examined the feasibility of volumetric measurements of gray matter (GMV) and hippocampal volume (HCV) and compared their diagnostic performance with visual rating scales in academic and non-academic memory clinics.

Materials And Methods: We included 231 patients attending local memory clinics (LMC) in the Netherlands and 501 of the academic Amsterdam Dementia Cohort (ADC).

Evaluating Cancer Care Networks; A Case Study of a Lung Cancer Care Network.

Background: Networks are promoted as an organizational form that enables integrated care as well as enhanced patient outcomes. However, implementing networks is complex. It is therefore important to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of networks to ensure it is worth developing and maintaining them.