Novartis symposium -- risk taking and confident.
Much of session focused on neurodegeration and not neuroinflammation.
Dr. Barkhof (yes, the “Barkhof criteria” person) reiterated the important neurodegenration markers:
1 . Brain volume/atrophy
2. T1 hypointensities (unfortunate name of “black holes”)
3. OCT
Ludwig Kappos reviewed Phase II and Phase III (TRANSFORMS) and future (now recruiting) 3-year INFORMS (primary progressive MS).
INFORMS looks at
a.. OCT
b. Brain volume
c. MTR
d. Evolution of black holes
Phase II and extension has sustained effect over 5 years and Phase III (TRANSFORMS) – well known data of 0.5 mg vs. 1.25 mg vs. Avonex (interferon beta-1A intramuscular weekly).
If this works for RRMS and PPMS, I wuld assume that it works for SPMS too.
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Dr. Kantor, Thanks so much for giving us an inside "view" of what is being discussed at ECTRIMS. It is comforting to know that so much effort is being made to battle this disease.
ReplyDeleteI know this is sort of a corny approach, but shouldn't "black holes" be designated "sclera" or scars? That is what is showing up, no?
ReplyDeleteT1 HYPOintensities("black holes" mean that on the T1 images (short echo and repetition). Normally the white spots of MS re in T2 or FLAIR (fluid attenuated inversion recovery) HYPERintenities -- therefore they are bright. These are the "scars" or "sclerosis." We think of T1 hypointensities as loss of axons (but not necessarily permanent).
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