Is there a breakthrough for MS patients, will they once again resume the life they once knew before MS took its toll and ravaged their body. Researchers certainly hope so. Multiple Sclerosis has long been defined as a degenerative neurological disease with no cure. However, an Italian doctor by the name Dr. Paolo Zamboni, made an amazing discovery. He found that his patients blocked veins in the neck or chest, which were never investigated by researchers before. Could these blockages be responsible for blood shortages to the brain and could the vascular condition be responsible for the lesions in the brain associated with Multiple Sclerosis? Zaboni performed an operation (angioplasty) to unblock the veins and his clients were relieved of their symptoms. The scientific community was skeptical of his findings stating not enough research had been done to back up his claims, however his patients begged to differ. They had gotten their life back as they had it before their diagnosis.
Even though skeptical, scientists around the world are quite interested in the findings and now a new study out of Buffalo, NY adds credence to Zamboni’s findings. They have noted that MS patients are twice as likely to be at risk for blocked veins in the neck chest than none MS patients. These researchers have released the results of the first ever study on a new condition, which they are calling CCSVI, or chronic cerebro-spinal venous insufficiency. Of the 500 subjects, tested in the study by means of ultrasound and MRI brain scans, the MS patients represented 55 per cent of the patients found to have blocked veins in the neck and chest.
Dr. Robert Zivadinov, the head researcher of the University of Buffalo team says these findings are very encouraging. At minimum they show that there is some kind of connection between vascular blockage and Multiple Sclerosis. However, this is the first information to surface from the Combined Transcranial and Extracranial Venous Doppler Evaluation (CTEVD) study completed in April 2009. The data is still being analyzed and will be presented to American Academy of Neurology meeting in April 2010.
There are still questions left unanswered such as why do non Multiple Sclerosis patients also have blocked veins, but this new screening for CCSVI will help to shed more light on the effects of the lesions associated with Multiple Sclerosis. The team is planning a second study with 500 different patients to add to their knowledge on this new break through finding.
The MS Society of Canada says the findings are interesting but reserve their comments until the study has gone through peer review. However, Dr. Paul O’Connor does say that it is important to note that not all MS patients have acquired CCSVI and so getting overly optimistic at this point in time would be premature. There are multiple factors involved in MS and he also notes that it is interesting that even none MS patients have the CCSVI condition as well. This shows that much more research must be conducted before any conclusions can be made.
Nevertheless, this new study is spurring interest and researchers at the University of British Columbia Hospital MS Clinic, and McMaster University doctors in Hamilton, Ontario will be doing further studies as well.
The MS Society of Canada will also help to fund the studies in order to further the research on Multiple Sclerosis and its treatment.
MS is the leading neurological disease for young people in Canada.
For Information in the Montreal Area
Sources:
CTV News
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20100210/ccsvi_100210/20100210?hub=Health
Comments
Such good news for people with MS! I hope they'll be offering the treatment here in Montreal.
Carol, Great hope for those suffering from M.S.! As a nurse, I was a witness to the ravaging effects of aggressive M.S. Bless you for your great articles!
Very interesting! Thank you!
I have a dear friend whose life is being severely impacted by MS; I so hope that this leads to answer, for her and for so many others!
This is wonderful news for MS patients.
Inclined bed therapy (sleeping with my waist to head raised with extra pillows supporting my neck) for me for the past 6 wks or so has proven to me that there is definitely something real about this - gravity helps lessen the hypothesized blood reflux, helps veins properly drain downwards. For the first time in several years I am waking up refreshed and clear thinking and on occasion I am reminded of what life was like before the first attack in 2002. Any skeptics should at least try this!
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