Multiple sclerosis : clinical and laboratory research
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Exposure to parental chronic illness is associated with adverse developmental outcomes. ⋯ Maternal MS, but not paternal MS, was associated with lower rates of developmental vulnerability on the social development domain. However, mental and physical comorbidity among MS-affected mothers were associated with increased developmental vulnerability in children.
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Observational Study
Anti-JC virus antibody titres increase over time with natalizumab treatment.
Anti-JC virus antibody status is a risk factor for progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy after natalizumab treatment in multiple sclerosis. Previous studies have used a cross-sectional approach to conclude that the presence and duration of natalizumab treatment does not influence anti-JCV Ab seropositivity. ⋯ Our data suggest that natalizumab therapy is associated with a significant and substantial increase in anti-JCV Ab index over time. Further work should focus on the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon, and the clinical relevance to risk stratification.
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The relationship between white matter injury and cortical atrophy development in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) remains unclear. ⋯ Primary motor cortex thinning in RRMS is related to alterations in connected white matter and is best explained by decreased NAWM integrity.
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Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers have been suggested to predict multiple sclerosis (MS) after clinically isolated syndromes, but studies investigating long-term prognosis are needed. ⋯ Neurofilament light-chain and chitinase-3-like-1 were significant predictors of long-term physical and cognitive disability. Furthermore, chitinase-3-like-1 predicted CDMS development. Thus, these molecules hold promise as clinically valuable biomarkers after ON as a first demyelinating event.
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The presence of anti-John Cunningham Virus (JCV) antibodies is a risk factor for the development of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in MS patients treated with natalizumab. It has been suggested that an increase in serum anti-JCV antibody index precedes the development of PML. We here describe extensive longitudinal serum anti-JCV antibody indexes of four MS patients who developed PML. ⋯ All four patients had rather stable high anti-JCV antibody indexes in all samples obtained before developing PML. Possibly caused by reaching the saturation level of the assay, no increase in anti-JCV antibody indexes was seen just before the diagnosis of PML. This study confirms that high serum anti-JCV antibody indexes precede natalizumab-associated PML.