Multiple Sclerosis

https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/2A797603-5A0A-46B7-AE52F76186A3CF81_source.jpg

Multiple Sclerosis is a neurological disorder in which the body's own immune system attacks the mylen sheath coatings of neurons in the brain and spinal cord (Mayo Clinic, n.d.)

Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis include:

(Mayo Clinic, n.d.)

numbness in one of more limbs on one side of your body
tingling
lack of coordination
difficulty walking
partial or complete loss of vision in one eye
blurry vision
vertigo
fatigue
slurred speech
cognitive problems
changes in mood

This Video Shows Some Part of Actress Selma Blair's Struggle with MS and her treatment with Stem Cell Treatment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MLRcsjfLsE

Facts About Multiple Sclerosis

(Walton, et. al., 2020; Doctrow, 2022; Nursing Tutorials, 2020; Wexler, n.d.)

The lifetime prevalence rate worldwide is 35.9 persons per 100,000
The lifetime prevalence rate of MS in the US is almost 200 people per 100,000
onset typically occurs between 20-40 years of age
women are as much as 2-4 times more likely to get MS than men
Whites get MS more often than Hispanics, blacks, or Asians.
MS is not usually fatal, but can result in disability and death due to pneumonia

Important Vocab

(Doctrow, 2022; Mayo Clinic, n.d.; Wexler, 2022)

Differential diagnosis -a diagnosis that is made by ruling out other diseases as opposed to finding a specific pathogen on a scan or lab result.

Epstein-Barr -a herpes virus that often causes no symptoms in some people, and mono in others.

Lesion -a place of damage in the body's tissues. MS lesions glow bright white on an MRI

Tolerance -when more and more of a drug is needed to get the same effect. As when interferon beta medications lose their effectiveness at treating MS attacks over time.

Vertigo - a sensation of dizziness

Types of Multiple Sclerosis

(PACE Hospitals, n.d.; Mayo Clinic, n.d.; Wexler, n.d.)

Clinically Isolated syndrome (CIS) -there is one episode of neurological symptoms, which may or may not lead to MS.

Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) -MS symptoms come and go with periods of complete remission.

*most people have this version*

Primary progressive MS (PPMS) - in approximately 15% of MS patients, the disease enters a progressive phase immediately with symptoms that get worse over time.

*This form of the disease can be fatal*

Secondary progressive MS (SPMS) - When MS first starts out as RRMS and then changes to progressive (symptoms get worse over time)

*This form of the disease can be fatal*

Diagnosing Multiple Sclerosis

(Wexler, n.d.)

There is no end all be all test for MS. Whilst an MRI can pick up brain lesions in people with MS. Some people with MS do not have brain lesions and some people with brain lesions do not develop MS.

So doctors will look at symptoms and scans to rule out other conditions and then give a diagnosis of MS. This way of ruling out other disease to diagnosis a disease is called a differential diagnosis.

An MRI is a brain scan that takes detailed images of the body's tissues. In places where MS kills neurons in the brain, that part of the brain turns bright white.

Doctors may order MRIs every 6 months to 2 years to track the progression of the disease.

Risk factors for Multiple Sclerosis

(PACE Hospitals, n.d.; Nursing Tutorials, n.d.)

genes
exposure to virus (e.g. Epstein-Barr virus)
smoking
low levels of vitamin D
low immune system
stress
physical injury
climate (places with cold winters tend to have higher rates of MS)

Treating Multiple Sclerosis

(Mayo Clinic, n.d.; Wexler, n.d.)

There is no cure for MS. Treatment focuses on reduces symptoms, speeding up recovery from attacks and reducing future attacks. Early treatment generally leads to better outcomes.

Treatments for current attacks include:

Corticosteroids -drugs that reduce nerve inflammation that causes may symptoms of MS. Side effects include mood swings, increased blood pressure and glucose levels, and fluid retention.
Plasma exchange -part of the blood of MS patients is removed and their blood cells are mixed with albumin and put back in the body.
Muscle relaxants -drugs that decrease pain and stiffness, especially in extremities.
Physical Therapy -to increase ability after an attack.

Treatments to prevent future attacks include:

Interferon beta medications -drugs that injected under the skin or into muscles that interfere with diseases that increase inflammation. Side effects include flu-like symptoms. Tolerance is common.
Glatiramer acetate -drugs that both the immune system. Side effects include more frequent illness.
Monoclonal antibodies -drugs that target cells that damage the nervous symptoms. Side effects include infections.
Oral drugs like Teriflunomide, Fingolimod, Dimethyl fumarate -reduce relapses but side effects include damage to fetuses, liver injury, pain, and infections.
Infusions like Natalizumab, Ocrelizumab, Alemtuzumab -drugs that may reduce relapse rates and slow down the development of disabilities, but side effects include increase risk of severe and rare infections, low blood pressure, the development of autoimmune disease, and even cancer.

Study of more then 10 million adults finds that Epstein-Barr virus makes suffers 32x more likely to get multiple sclerosis.

Bjornevik and his colleagues (2020) analyzed the blood of more than 10 million young adults taken every few years by the American military to test for HIV. Blood samples were tested to see if the person had ever been infected with the Epstein-Barr virus and later developed MS. Solders who had Epstein-Barr antibodies were 32 times more likely to develop MS than those who had not been exposed to Epstein-Barr at the time of their entrance into the military. However, it is important to note that whilst 95% of people ultimately catch Epstein-Barr virus, most of them will not develop MS. Other factors also contributes. This study suggests that the Epstein-Barr virus along with other factors may cause multiple sclerosis.

Page updated

Report abuse