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Osteoporosis and Physical Activity Among NARCOMS Participants

By tscott

Introduction
Osteoporosis is a bone disease causing thinning of the bones. Osteoporosis increases the risk of fractures (broken bones) of the hip, wrist and spine. Osteopenia refers to mild bone loss that is not severe enough to be called osteoporosis; it increases your risk of osteoporosis. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation (www.nof.org), 10 million individuals in the United States are estimated to have osteoporosis and almost 34 million more are estimated to have low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is regarded as more common in multiple sclerosis (MS) than in the general population (Smeltzer, Zimmerman, Capriotti, & Fernandes, 2002; Tuzun, Altintas, Karacan, & Tangurek, 2003; Weinstock-Guttman, et al. 2004). In the Fall 2007 questionnaire we asked NARCOMS participants about osteoporosis. In this article we report responses submitted by NARCOMS participants. (more)

Actor Henry Winkler Joins Team of National Patient Advocacy Groups and Allergan to Launch “Open Arms: Raising Awareness of Upper Limb Spasticity” Educational Campaign

By tscott

To address the low awareness and under-diagnosis of upper limb spasticity, Allergan, Inc. has joined forces with Henry Winkler and a coalition of five national patient advocacy organizations, including National Stroke Association, Brain Injury Association of America, National Spinal Cord Injury Association, United Cerebral Palsy and United Spinal Association, to launch the “Open Arms: Raising Awareness of Upper Limb Spasticity” educational campaign. (more)

Cholesterol Drugs Show Promise in Treating MS

By tscott

Medications used to treat high cholesterol such as Lipitor could potentially slow the course of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology.

The study involved 81 patients with early-stage MS who were chosen at random to be treated with Lipitor–a popular medication that belongs to a group of drugs called statins–and followed for a year. Results showed that more than half of the patients experienced no new brain lesions, whereas 30 percent of patients recieving placebo experienced experienced the same.

MS experts are calling for a larger study to  address the possible benefits of statin medications to treat patients with MS. (more)

Two Kinds of Multiple Sclerosis

By tscott

Source: Stanford School of Medicine (http://med.stanford.edu)

By Bruce Goldman, Science Writer, Office of Communication & Public Affairs–Stanford University School of Medicine

There may be two distinct versions of multiple sclerosis, a study in both animal models and human blood samples suggests. What’s more, a patient’s responsiveness to the most popular first-line drug for this episodic and all-too-often recurring autoimmune condition seems to depend on which version that patient has.

If these findings are confirmed in larger human studies and by other laboratories, people with multiple sclerosis might someday be able to take a simple blood test to see whether they are likely to respond to treatment with the standard multiple-sclerosis therapy, said senior study author Lawrence Steinman, MD, the George A. Zimmerman Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine. (more)

Biogen Idec and Elan Enroll First Patient in Large, Well-Controlled Head-to-Head Study of Multiple Sclerosis Treatments

By tscott

Source: Biogen Idec

Biogen Idec and Elan Corporation, plc announced enrollment of the first patient in a global Phase IIIb, randomized, rater-blinded, active-controlled study designed to evaluate switching to TYSABRI® (natalizumab) from Copaxone® (glatiramer acetate) or Rebif® (interferon beta-1a) in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The study, called SURPASS, is expected to enroll 1,800 patients in 27 countries and provide direct comparative data of different treatment options for RRMS patients who experience breakthrough disease activity. (more)

Copaxone 15-Year Study in Patients With MS

By tscott

Source: Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. recently announced the publication of data from the 15-year clinical study with Copaxone® (glatiramer acetate injection), which is the longest prospective and continuous evaluation ever conducted in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients. The data were published in the February issue of the journal Multiple Sclerosis.

The 15-year clinical study demonstrated that more than 80 percent of patients were still walking without assistance despite a mean MS disease duration of 22 years, and two-thirds of patients have not transitioned to secondary progressive MS. (more)

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