Multiple Sclerosis Quarterly Report Online Examines MS Exacerbations
The Winter 2007 issue of Multiple Sclerosis Quarterly Report Online is now available:
http://www.unitedspinal.org/publications/msqr/.
This issue takes a close look at relapses or exacerbations of MS in individuals with this disease. The lead article focuses on the most common treatment used today for an individual who is experiencing an MS relapse—methylprednisolone or MP, a synthetic steroid hormone that can be given intravenously or orally in tablet form. The article also includes information about how methylprednisolone works to ease such attacks, as well as its most common side effects.
A second feature article in the MSQR Online Winter 2007 edition takes a look at exacerbation management. It is based on preliminary results from a Spring 2007 survey undertaken by the North American Research Committee on MS (NARCOMS). Over 10,600 individuals with multiple sclerosis who are registered with NARCOMS responded to the survey by mail or online. A total of 73% of the respondents reported having at least one relapse or exacerbation during the course of their disease, and nearly 60% of this group reported having the exacerbation within the past two years. Initial findings of this survey suggest better treatment of a relapse and higher satisfaction with relapse care when it is received at a specialized MS-clinic, as compared to a Non-MS clinic.
NARCOMS was initiated by the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC), which was established in 1986 by a group of neurologists interested in improving the care of individuals with MS through a team approach. The mission of the CMSC is to disseminate information to clinicians, increase resources and opportunities for research, and advance the standard of care for people with MS. NARCOMS was created to help facilitate multicenter research in the field of MS through a Patient Registry. The more individuals with MS participate and provide complete information to the Registry, the more efficient the studies on MS will be and the closer researchers will get to a cure.