New insights into the burden and costs of multiple sclerosis in Europe: Results for Germany.

Introduction: To estimate the value of interventions in multiple sclerosis (MS) - where lifetime costs and outcomes cannot be observed - outcome data have to be combined with costs. This requires that cost data be regularly updated.

Objectives And Methods: This study is part of a cross-sectional retrospective study in 16 countries collecting data on resource consumption and work capacity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and prevalent symptoms for patients with MS.

Evolution of multiple sclerosis spasticity-associated symptoms: latest data.

In addition to muscle stiffness and increasing mobility restrictions, symptoms commonly associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) spasticity are spasms, sleep disturbances, pain, fatigue and bladder dysfunction. Treatment options include trigger factor avoidance, physiotherapy and antispasticity medication. Oral antispasticity agents commonly used in Germany are baclofen, tizanidine and gabapentin, but physician and patient satisfaction with their effectiveness is low.

Patient education programme on immunotherapy in multiple sclerosis (PEPIMS): a controlled rater-blinded study.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of a multi-component evidence-based education programme on disease modifying therapies in multiple sclerosis.

Design: Controlled trial with two consecutive patient cohorts and a gap of two months between cohorts.

Setting: Three neurological rehabilitation centres.

Defining Quality of Life Levels to Enhance Clinical Interpretation in Multiple Sclerosis: Application of a Novel Clustering Method.

Background: To enhance the use of quality of life (QoL) measures in clinical practice, it is pertinent to help clinicians interpret QoL scores.

Objective: The aim of this study was to define clusters of QoL levels from a specific questionnaire (MusiQoL) for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients using a new method of interpretable clustering based on unsupervised binary trees and to test the validity regarding clinical and functional outcomes.

Methods: In this international, multicenter, cross-sectional study, patients with MS were classified using a hierarchical top-down method of Clustering using Unsupervised Binary Trees.

Nabiximols (THC/CBD oromucosal spray, Sativex®) in clinical practice--results of a multicenter, non-interventional study (MOVE 2) in patients with multiple sclerosis spasticity.

Background: Nabiximols (Sativex®), a cannabinoid-based oromucosal spray, is an add-on therapy for patients with moderate to severe multiple sclerosis spasticity (MSS) resistant to other medications. The primary objective was to provide real-life observational data of clinical experience of nabiximols in contrast to formal clinical trials of effectiveness.

Methods: This was an observational, prospective, multicenter, non-interventional study with a follow-up period of 3-4 months, conducted in routine care setting in Germany.

Spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis--clinical characteristics, treatment and quality of life.

Aims: To gain real-life data on demographic and clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, treatment satisfaction and quality-of-life of multiple sclerosis-related spasticity (MSS) in Germany.

Material And Methods: MObility ImproVEment (MOVE 1), a cross-sectional burden-of-disease study, combines retrospective 12-month chart documentation with questionnaires for both, patients and physicians. Data were collected at office-based neurologists, MS outpatient clinics and rehabilitation centres in Germany.

A new multiple sclerosis spasticity treatment option: effect in everyday clinical practice and cost-effectiveness in Germany.

Sativex® (GW Pharmaceuticals PLC, Porton Down, UK; Laboratorios Almirall, SA, Barcelona, Spain), a cannabinoid oromucosal spray containing a 1:1 ratio of 9-δ-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol, has been licensed in Germany since July 2011 as add-on therapy for moderate-to-severe multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment-resistant spasticity symptoms. The 'MOVE 2' study evaluated clinical outcomes, treatment satisfaction, quality of life (QoL) and provision of care in MS patients with spasticity receiving Sativex in everyday clinical practice. Data from 300 patients were collected from 42 specialized MS centers across Germany and were available for this analysis.

Autoimmune diseases and rehabilitation.

This review gives an overview of the rehabilitation of autoimmune diseases. After general remarks on rehabilitation, the effects of acute and chronic exercises on inflammatory markers are summarized. Most of the available literature deals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple sclerosis (MS), and therefore, rehabilitation of these diseases is described in more detail.

Development and pilot phase of a European MS register.

The MS-ID (Multiple Sclerosis Information Dividend) project was initiated by the European Multiple Sclerosis Platform (EMSP) in 2007 in order to identify and address major inequalities of MS treatment and care and thus eliminate disparities across the EU. One major approach to reach these goals in the longer term is the implementation of a European MS register for MS. The feasibility of an EU MS register was piloted among five countries (Germany, Iceland, Poland, Romania and Spain).

National MS registries.

This review gives an overview of national registries that are currently in use for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The large-scale registries described herein include the Danish MS Registry, the Norwegian MS Registry, the Swedish MS Registry, the Italian MS Database Network, the North-American NARCOMS Registry, and the German MS Registry. These MS registries are extremely helpful for studying disease characteristics in large populations and monitoring the long-term outcome of disease-modifying therapies.

Fatigue in multiple sclerosis presenting as acute relapse: subjective and objective assessment.

We report on a patient with multiple sclerosis (MS) who presented with fatigue as the only manifestation of an acute MS relapse. Fatigue was assessed by the 'Würzburg Fatigue Inventory in MS (WEIMuS)' scale and confirmed by neuropsychological testing of attention. After high-dose corticosteroid therapy, subjective symptoms were completely abolished.

Autonomic dysfunction in Guillain-Barré syndrome and multiple sclerosis.

This review gives an overview of autonomic dysfunction encountered in Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and multiple sclerosis (MS). In GBS, cardiovascular dysregulation is common and may lead to serious bradyarrhythmias that need to be recognised for the early initiation of appropriate therapy. Although standardised autonomic tests were useful for the diagnosis of autonomic failure, they were not able to indicate vagal over-reactivity.

Epidemiology of neuroimmunological diseases.

This review gives an overview of various neuroimmunological diseases in terms of incidence and prevalence rates, age and sex distribution, and the frequency of subtypes, if applicable. The disorders selected for review are inflammatory muscle disorders (polymyositis, dermatomyositis and inclusion body myositis), myasthenia gravis, immune-mediated polyneuropathies (Guillain-Barré syndrome, chronic polyneuritis and vasculitic neuropathies), and multiple sclerosis.