MIAMI BEACH, Fla.–(BUSINESS
WIRE)–Although using angioplasty to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) is
highly controversial, sufferers often insist it helps – in some cases
dramatically, such as allowing them to walk without a cane. Patients with less
severe MS also reported additional quality of life improvements, such as being
able to talk more clearly, after having treatment to open blocked blood vessels
in the chest and neck, according to research being presented at the 24th annual
International Symposium on Endovascular Therapy (ISET).
A controversial theory holds that MS symptoms may be caused
by narrowed veins leading away from the brain, which interrupts blood flow
between the brain and heart. This condition, called chronic cerebrospinal
venous insufficiency (CCSVI), is treated with minimally invasive angioplasty to
open up those narrowed veins. In the research being presented at ISET, more
than 65 percent of patients treated for CCSVI report quality of life
improvements three months after treatment.
“The patients reported improvement in common MS symptoms
such as brain fog, frozen extremities, dizziness, bladder control and speech,
and over time, they continued to improve,” said Marco Magnano, M.D., professor
of interventional radiology at the Residency of Vascular Surgery of the
University of Catania, Sicily. “Although this could be due to the placebo
effect, you have to wonder how that alone could help patients get out of the
wheelchair, or forgo a cane or crutches.”
In the study, 170 patients were evaluated using both
disability and quality of life questionnaires. On the disability questionnaire
(out of a scale of 0 to 10, with higher numbers indicating more severe
disability), patients scored on average of 4.5. Three months after treatment,
they improved to an average of 4.0. The patients who initially scored higher on
the disability scale were less likely to improve. The other questionnaire asked
patients 16 quality of life questions on activities such as recreation and
socializing, with answers ranging from 1 (terrible) to 7 (delighted). Out of a total
possible score of 112, patients overall improved from 64 before treatment to 70
after one month and 71 after three months.
For more information, visit www.ISET.org.
Posted by Sean Fenske, Editor-in-Chief, MDT