Oral supplementation with propionate is reflected in the serum of healthy individuals.

Background: Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including propionic acid (PA), are key in immunological research. Supplementing PA has shown benefits for autoimmune diseases. A comprehensive understanding of the PA pharmacokinetics is essential for the optimal design and execution of studies utilizing orally administered PA.

Effect of siponimod on retinal thickness, a marker of neurodegeneration, in participants with SPMS: Findings from the EXPAND OCT substudy.

Background: People with MS show abnormal thinning of the retinal layers, which is associated with clinical disability and brain atrophy, and is a potential surrogate marker of neurodegeneration and treatment effects.

Objective: To evaluate the utility of retinal thickness as a surrogate marker of neurodegeneration and treatment effect in participants with secondary progressive MS (SPMS) from the optical coherence tomography (OCT) substudy of the EXPAND Phase 3 clinical trial (siponimod versus placebo).

Methods: In the OCT substudy population (n = 159), treatment effects on change in the average thickness of the retinal layer, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL), and combined macular ganglion cell and inner plexiform layers (GCIPL) were analyzed by high-definition spectral domain OCT at months 3, 12, and 24.

Impact of disease-modifying therapies on pregnancy outcomes in multiple sclerosis: a prospective cohort study from the German multiple sclerosis and pregnancy registry.

Background: In recent decades, relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) became more treatable through new disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). Identifying safe treatments with minimal fetal risks for family planning is needed.

Methods: In this prospective cohort from the German MS and Pregnancy Registry (DMSKW), we analyzed pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in MS-patients using descriptive statistics and logistic/linear regression models to compare DMT-exposed pregnancies to DMT-unexposed pregnancies.

Neurological post-COVID syndrome is associated with substantial impairment of verbal short-term and working memory.

A substantial proportion of patients suffer from Post-COVID Syndrome (PCS) with fatigue and impairment of memory and concentration being the most important symptoms. We here set out to perform in-depth neuropsychological assessment of PCS patients referred to the Neurologic PCS clinic compared to patients without sequelae after COVID-19 (non-PCS) and healthy controls (HC) to decipher the most prevalent cognitive deficits. We included n = 60 PCS patients with neurologic symptoms, n = 15 non-PCS patients and n = 15 healthy controls.

Early therapy initiation is crucial in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: prospective multimodal data from the German INHIBIT registry.

Background: Diagnosing chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) can be challenging, leading to delays in initiating therapy. As disability in CIDP is mainly dependent on axonal damage, the impact of delayed immunotherapy remains unclear. We multimodally investigated the clinical outcomes of patients with early CIDP regarding different treatment strategies and time points.

Ofatumumab-exposed breastfeeding in multiple sclerosis patients.

Background: In Europe, ofatumumab is approved for breastfeeding, but data on its transfer into breast milk and clinical experience are lacking.

Objective: To analyze (1) health, development, and adverse events after live vaccination of ofatumumab-exposed breastfed infants and (2) detectability of ofatumumab in breast milk, and to calculate the relative infant dose (RID) using two methods, the traditional method and a second method considering maternal exposure to multiple ofatumumab doses and extended collection period.

Methods: In this observational study, clinical data were collected by standardized telephone interviews up to 2 years postpartum.

Assessing axonal pathology and disease progression in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy using corneal confocal microscopy.

Objective: Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is an autoimmune neuropathy characterized by progressive or relapsing-remitting weakness and sensory deficits. This study aims to evaluate the utility of corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) in diagnosing and monitoring CIDP.

Methods: We analysed 100 CIDP patients and 31 healthy controls using CCM to measure corneal nerve fiber density (CNFD), length (CNFL), and branch density (CNBD).

Modeling extrahepatic hepatitis E virus infection in induced human primary neurons.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infections are one of the most common causes of acute viral hepatitis, annually causing over 3 million symptomatic cases and 70,000 deaths worldwide. Historically, HEV was described as a hepatotropic virus, but has recently been associated with various extrahepatic manifestations including neurological disorders such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and neuralgic amyotrophy. However, the underlying pathogenesis of these neurological diseases remains largely unknown.

Successful generation of fully human, second generation, anti-CD19 CAR T cells for clinical use in patients with diverse autoimmune disorders.

Background: B-cell targeting chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, which lead to profound B-cell depletion, have been well-established in hematology-oncology. This deep B-cell depletion mechanism has prompted the exploration of their use in B-cell driven autoimmune diseases. We herein report on the manufacturing of KYV-101, a fully human anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy, derived from patients who were treated across a spectrum of autoimmune diseases.

Impact of symptomatic multiple sclerosis therapy on pregnancy outcome.

Background: Information on symptomatic therapy (ST) use in women of childbearing age with multiple sclerosis is sparse, and data on the impact of ST pregnancy exposure on pregnancy outcome are lacking.

Objective: To investigate (1) ST use patterns pre-conception, during pregnancy and postpartum and (2) pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: Pregnancy data from the German Multiple Sclerosis and Pregnancy Registry were analyzed for the ST use from pre-conception to postpartum.

Apheresis therapies in MOGAD: a retrospective study of 117 therapeutic interventions in 571 attacks.

Background: Incomplete attack remission is the main cause of disability in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD). Apheresis therapies such as plasma exchange and immunoadsorption are widely used in neuroimmunology. Data on apheresis outcomes in MOGAD attacks remain limited.

Large-fiber neuropathy in Parkinson's disease: a narrative review.

Background: Numerous studies reported a higher prevalence of polyneuropathy (PNP) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) compared to the general population. Importantly, PNP symptoms can aggravate both motor and sensory disturbances in PD patients and negatively impact the disease course. Recent analyses indicate distinct PNP patterns in PD.

Clinical and device-based predictors of improved experience of activities of daily living after a multidisciplinary inpatient treatment for people with Parkinson's disease: a cohort study.

Background: The inpatient Parkinson's Disease Multimodal Complex Treatment (PD-MCT) is an important therapeutical approach to improving gait and activities of daily living (ADL) of people with PD (PwP). Wearable device-based parameters (DBP) are new options for specific gait analyses toward individualized treatments.

Objectives: We sought to identify predictors of perceived ADL benefit taking clinical scores and DBP into account.

Aseptic meningitis with recurrent headache episodes, vomiting, and central fever as first manifestation of isolated neurosarcoidosis: a case report.

Background: Neurosarcoidosis is a rare entity, usually within the context of systematic sarcoidosis. Isolated neurosarcoidosis and especially a manifestation with pachymeningitis is a notable rarity.

Case Report: A 26-year-old patient presented to the emergency department with acute onset, recurrent episodes of occipital headaches spreading over the whole cranium and vomiting without food consumption, for three days.

Dietary galactose exacerbates autoimmune neuroinflammation advanced glycation end product-mediated neurodegeneration.

Background: Recent studies provide increasing evidence for a relevant role of lifestyle factors including diet in the pathogenesis of neuroinflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). While the intake of saturated fatty acids and elevated salt worsen the disease outcome in the experimental model of MS by enhanced inflammatory but diminished regulatory immunological processes, sugars as additional prominent components in our daily diet have only scarcely been investigated so far. Apart from glucose and fructose, galactose is a common sugar in the so-called Western diet.

Cortical atrophy patterns in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease.

Objectives: Global brain volume changes in patients with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease compared with healthy controls (HC) could be revealed by magnetic resonance imaging, but specific atrophy patterns of cortical structures and relation to cognitive impairment are not yet comprehensively known. Thus, we aimed to investigate cortical thickness differences in patients with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease compared with HC.

Methods: 3-Tesla brain magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 23 patients with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease and 49 HC for voxel-wise group comparisons and neuropsychological testing in patients.

Quality of life and tolerability of B-cell directed therapy of multiple sclerosis with ofatumumab in a patient-centered real-world observational study.

Introduction: Ofatumumab (Kesimpta) is a subcutaneous CD20-targeting antibody approved in Germany in 2021 for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). After careful instruction, patients can administer the treatment themselves. We previously reported data of 101 patients (Klimas et al.