None — Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition characterized by damage to the myelin, or protective insulation surrounding the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. The exact cause isn't known. However researchers believe it occurs because the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues, causing inflammation and damage.
Myelin is like the protective cover of an electrical cord. The nerves are like the wires inside the cover. When the myelin is damaged, an area of the central nervous system is exposed, injuring the nerves and causing a short circuit in nerve transmission. In some cases, thick scar tissue (called plaque) develops over the damaged areas of myelin.
The most common initial signs of MS are blurred vision, changes in color perception or blindness in one eye. Other symptoms can include: fatigue, weakness, numbness and tingling, dizziness, troubles with coordination and balance, tremors, bowel and bladder problems, cognitive impairments and sexual difficulties.
According to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America, about 400,000 people in the U.S. have MS. Roughly 10,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. The disease can occur at just about any age, but most patients are between 20 and 40 at the time symptoms first appear. Women are affected about three times more often than men. Smoking increases the risk for MS and is associated with a faster progression of the disease.
There are several different forms of MS. The most common form, accounting for about 80 percent of cases, is relapsing-remitting MS. Patients have defined periods of symptoms (called attacks) followed by full or partial recovery (remission). Most patients with relapsing-remitting MS eventually develop secondary progressive MS, characterized by a progressive worsening of symptoms (i.e., no recovery between attacks). Most of the remaining cases of MS are classified as primary-progressive MS. Patients with this form have a gradual progression of symptoms from the onset. Progressive-remitting MS is a less common form characterized by continual progression of symptoms along with relapses.
Treating MS – Another Use for Statins?
There is no cure for MS. However, there are several different types of treatment to control symptoms and reduce the severity/number of attacks.
Researchers at UC San Francisco recently tested the use of statins for patients with relapsing-remitting MS. Statins are traditionally used to treat patients with elevated cholesterol levels. In addition to lowering cholesterol, statins decrease inflammation. Thus, the investigators theorized the drugs would reduce inflammation associated with MS and prevent progression of the disease. Neurologist Emmanuelle Waubant, M.D., Ph.D., says studies of animals with MS-like disease showed treatment with statins helped prevent both inflammation and disability. So, in theory, the treatment should be beneficial for humans.
The phase 2 study enrolled patients with newly diagnosed relapsing-remitting MS. One-third of the patients were randomly assigned to get the statin drug, atorvastin (Lipitor®). The other two-thirds were given a placebo. Investigators used MRI scans to follow the formation of MS scarring in both groups.
The researchers found participants who received atorvastin did not develop any new MS lesions during the study. In fact, Waubant says, compared to the placebo group, statins decreased the risk for MS scarring by 30 to 35 percent.
Waubant says it is too early to recommend statin therapy for patients with newly diagnosed relapsing-remitting MS. She warns statins have side effects, some of which can be significant.
Other researchers have also looked at the benefits of statins for patients with MS. The results of those studies are mixed. Some have found statins to be beneficial, while others have found no added benefit to the treatment. In one study, researchers found MS patients taking atorvastin experienced a worsening of symptoms.
For general information on multiple sclerosis:
Multiple Sclerosis Association of America Multiple Sclerosis Foundation National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
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