Decreased Neurofilament L Chain Levels in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Tolerogenic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells in Natalizumab-Treated Multiple Sclerosis Patients - Brief Research Report.

Background: Neurofilament Light (NfL) chain levels in both cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum have been correlated with the reduction of axonal damage in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated with Natalizumab (NTZ). However, little is known about the function of plasmacytoid cells in NTZ-treated MS patients.

Objective: To evaluate CSF NfL, serum levels of soluble-HLA-G (sHLA-G), and eventual tolerogenic behavior of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) in MS patients during NTZ treatment.

Oral Colonization by Candida Species in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. Since immune system plays a key role in this disease, patients with MS can present higher risk of infections.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Candida spp.

Multiphasic disseminated encephalomyelitis associated with herpes virus infection in a patient with TLR3 deficiency.

We report a case of a 14-year-old girl that presented headache, amaurosis, drowsiness, fever, vomiting and diffuse reduction of muscle strength. She had been diagnosed with ADEM one year before and had a previous diagnosis of Toll-Like 3 receptor deficiency. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed pleocytosis (28/mm, 12/mm red blood cells, 70% lymphocytes cells, 2% monocytes cells, 28% neutrophils), normal total protein (38 pg/mL) and normal glucose level (53/mm).

Characterization of the first symptoms of multiple sclerosis in a Brazilian center: cross-sectional study.

Context And Objective:: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, immune-mediated and degenerative central nervous system (CNS) disease with well-established diagnostic criteria. Treatment can modify the course of the disease. The objective of this study was to describe the initial symptoms of multiple sclerosis in a Brazilian medical center.

The cerebrospinal fluid in multiple sclerosis: far beyond the bands.

The cerebrospinal fluid analysis has been employed for supporting multiple sclerosis diagnosis and ruling out the differential diagnoses. The most classical findings reflect the inflammatory nature of the disease, including mild pleocytosis, mild protein increase, intrathecal synthesis of immunoglobulin G, and, most typically, the presence of oligoclonal bands. In recent years, new biomarkers have emerged in the context of multiple sclerosis.

MRZH reaction increases sensitivity for intrathecal IgG synthesis in IgG Oligoclonal band negative Multiple Sclerosis patients.

Given the low detection rates of CSF IgG-Oligoclonal bands (IgG-OCB) in non-European Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients and higher specificity of the MRZH-reaction, we evaluated whether associating MRZH-reaction to CSF IgG-OCB detection improved investigation of suspected MS. Paired CSF and sera were analyzed for IgG-OCB and polyspecific viral antibodies. IgG-OCB were detected in 72% of MS patients and an MRZH-reaction in 67%.

Olfactory alterations in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To assess olfactory function using the Connecticut test and verify correlations between olfactory alteration, disease duration and the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).

Methods: One hundred MS patients and 100 healthy control patients responded to a questionnaire. Those with olfactory alteration underwent a facial CT to exclude other causes.

Polyomavirus detection in multiple sclerosis patients under natalizumab therapy: Profile and frequency of urinary shedding.

Patients undergoing Natalizumab (NTZ) therapy are at risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Besides John Cunningham virus (JCV), BK polyomavirus might represent an additional concern for such patients since it can also infect CNS cells. Currently, data regarding the presence of anti-JCV antibodies added to previous immunosuppressive therapy and prolonged NTZ therapy has been used to classify patients at risk of developing PML.

Cost analysis of multiple sclerosis in Brazil: a cross-sectional multicenter study.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a central nervous system disease associated with irreversible progression of disability, which imposes a substantial socioeconomic onus. The objective of this study was to determine the economic impact of multiple sclerosis from the Brazilian household and healthcare system perspectives. Secondary objectives were to assess the impact of fatigue on daily living and health-related quality of life (HRQL) of MS patients.

Validation and cross-cultural adaptation of sexual dysfunction modified scale in multiple sclerosis for Brazilian population.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). These patients suffer from various comorbidities, including sexual dysfunction (SD). The lesions of MS may affect regions of the CNS along the pathway of sexual response.

Validation survey of the impact of urinary incontinence (IIQ-7) and inventory of distress urogenital (UDI-6) - the short scales - in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Impact Questionnaire of Urinary Incontinence (IIQ-7) and Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6) - short scale - in the Brazilian population with multiple sclerosis. The IIQ-7 and UDI-6 were translated into Portuguese, called IIQ-7-BR and UDI-6-BR. The questionnaires were administered in 211 individuals selected randomly.

Central nervous system infectious diseases mimicking multiple sclerosis: recognizing distinguishable features using MRI.

The current diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis (MS) confirm the relevant role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), supporting the possibility of characterizing the dissemination in space (DIS) and the dissemination in time (DIT) in a single scan. To maintain the specificity of these criteria, it is necessary to determine whether T2/FLAIR visible lesions and the gadolinium enhancement can be attributed to diseases that mimic MS. Several diseases are included in the MS differential diagnosis list, including diseases with exacerbation, remitting periods and numerous treatable infectious diseases, which can mimic the MRI features of MS.

Multiple sclerosis and herpesvirus interaction.

Multiple sclerosis is the most common autoimmune inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, and its etiology is believed to have both genetic and environmental components. Several viruses have already been implicated as triggers and there are several studies that implicate members of the Herpesviridae family in the pathogenesis of MS. The most important characteristic of these viruses is that they have periods of latency and exacerbations within their biological sanctuary, the central nervous system.

Medication withdrawal may be an option for a select group of patients in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

This article describes the clinical and radiological evolution of a stable group of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis that had their disease-modifying therapy (DMT) withdrawn. Forty patients, which had made continuous use of one immunomodulator and had remained free of disease for at least 5 years, had their DMT withdrawn and were observed from 13 to 86 months. Out of the followed patients, 4 (10%) patients presented with new attacks.

The impact of diagnostic criteria for neuromyelitis optica in patients with MS: a 10-year follow-up of the South Atlantic Project.

Background: It is recognized that there is a particular geographic and ethnic distribution of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) among Caucasian and non-Caucasian populations.

Objective: To review the diagnoses of patients whom were enrolled in the South Atlantic Project, a Brazilian multiple sclerosis (MS) survey performed from 1995-1998, and to identify NMO and MS case frequencies.

Methods: We reviewed the data from a 10-year follow-up of MS patients.

Oropharyngeal dysphagia in patients with multiple sclerosis: do the disease classification scales reflect dysphagia severity?

Unlabelled: Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease that involves swallowing disorders. Many studies have shown an association between neurological and swallowing performance, but results have been conflicting.

Objective: To identify the frequency of dysphagia in patients with multiple sclerosis and neurological indicators that can represent the performance of swallowing.

Genomic analysis of ERVWE2 locus in patients with multiple sclerosis: absence of genetic association but potential role of human endogenous retrovirus type W elements in molecular mimicry with myelin antigen.

Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) arise from ancient infections of the host germline cells by exogenous retroviruses, constituting 8% of the human genome. Elevated level of envelope transcripts from HERVs-W has been detected in CSF, plasma and brain tissues from patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), most of them from Xq22.3, 15q21.

Atypical idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating lesions: prognostic implications and relation to multiple sclerosis.

Atypical lesions of a presumably idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating origin present quite variably and may pose diagnostic problems. The subsequent clinical course is also uncertain. We, therefore, wanted to clarify if atypical idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating lesions (AIIDLs) can be classified according to previously suggested radiologic characteristics and how this classification relates to prognosis.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12) for the Brazilian population.

Unlabelled: Gait impairment is reported by 85% of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) as main complaint. In 2003, Hobart et al. developed a scale for walking known as The 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12), which combines the perspectives of patients with psychometric methods.

Clinical predictors of response to immunomodulators for multiple sclerosis.

Objectives: To determine, based on clinical criteria, the proportion of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients responsive to immunomodulators (RI) and nonresponsive to immunomodulators (NRI), and to ascertain whether clinical and epidemiological data differs between RI and NRI patient groups.

Methods: Patients were assessed on rate of exarcerbations per year, for the period before and after commencement of treatment. The RI and NRI groups were compared for several clinical and epidemiological characteristics.

Incidental demyelinating inflammatory lesions in asymptomatic patients: a Brazilian cohort with radiologically isolated syndrome and a critical review of current literature.

Despite the definition of specific diagnostic criteria to identify radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS) suggestive of multiple sclerosis, its natural history remains incompletely understood. We retrospectively analyzed a Brazilian cohort of 12 patients to clarify their features and to emphasize the role of imaging predictors in clinical conversion. We demonstrated that, although some individuals did not exhibit progression over a lengthy follow-up period (16.

Validation of the "Six Step Spot Test" for gait among patients with multiple sclerosis in Brazil.

The clinical manifestations of multiple sclerosis (MS) are variable among patients, and the course of disease is not linear. Different symptoms are presented, with gradual accumulation of disability. These variations are difficult to quantify in clinical practice, and several studies have attempted to create instruments capable of measuring these disabilities.

Psychiatric disorders in multiple sclerosis patients.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease showing variable clinical presentation. Optic neuritis is the most common symptom, followed by motor and sensitive manifestations. It is known that this disease may be related to several psychiatric disorders, especially depression.