According to a story from medicalxpress.com, a recent study from the University of Birmingham discovered that the progression of multiple sclerosis could be predicted by spinal fluid analysis. This could make it easier for doctors to adjust treatment regimens in order to compensate for disease progression.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects the nervous system. The myelin sheath, an insulating cover that protects nerve cells, is damaged, which affects the ability of nerve cells to communicate. This leads to several symptoms, such as problems with sensation, numbness, muscle spasms, muscle weakness, blurred vision, loss of balance and coordination, fatigue, pain, difficulty speaking and swallowing, and mood disorders such as depression. It is an autoimmune disease, in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks part of the body. The overall cause is not understood, but a combination of environmental and genetic factors could play a role. It appears as a relapsing-remitting form, with periods of acute symptoms and periods with no symptoms, or in a long-term, progressive form, with symptoms slowly worsening over time. To learn more about multiple sclerosis, click here.
There are several different treatment options for people with MS, but the choice of treatment for a patient is not always based on evidence that suggests one treatment over another. In many cases, it is simply of matter of trying different treatments until one is found that seems to work. The results of this study could significantly improve treatment practices for MS.
Over a six year period, scientists compared samples of spinal fluid from MS patients upon their initial diagnosis with samples from five years later. Analysis revealed changes in the behavior of white blood cells, which produced a specific type of antibody at a high rate of 100:1 compared to other types. Normally, the ratio is only 2:1. The type of white blood cell that was detected is normally not present in spinal fluid. This situation was most pronounced in the early stages of MS.
The strong abundance of this antibody suggests that it could be part of the initial trigger of the disease. Samples from patients who ended up having the most severe disease had already developed beyond this initial state. This means that a spinal tap test could help determine which patients will be at greater risk of disability, and therefore would need more aggressive treatments. Future research will hopefully identify the cause of the immune response that produces the disparity in antibodies.
