MS Flashcards
what is MS
progressive autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation, selective demyelination and gliosis
what does demyelination lesions do
impair neural transmission causes nerve fibers to fatigue rapidly
pathophys of MS
abnormal immune mediated response that attacks the myelin, oligodendrocytes and axons throughout the CNS
what happens during remission
remyelination, often incomplete
what happens with time after relapses
cant keep up
demyelinated areas undergo gliosis
average age of onset
15-50 years old
predisposing factors
women
caucasian of nordic origin
higher income countries
low vit D exposure during childhoos and teenage years
exposure to Epstein-Barr virus
how to diagnosis
clinical presentation
MRI - gold standard; lesions must be seen in 2/4 lesions
what can improve progression of the disease
early drug treatment protocols
significant decline in number of attacks, lesion sites and disability
what is clinically isolated syndrome
first clinical episode of a disease that shows characteristics of inflammatory demyelination that could be MS but hasn’t fulfilled criteria of dissemination in time
what does CIS mostly affect
optic nerves
brainstem
spinal cord
what is CIS treated with
high dose glucocorticoids for acute symptoms
risk factors for the conversion to clinically definite MS
polysymptomatic presentation
more than or equal to T2 MRI lesions
oligoclonal bands present in CSF, not in serum
CIS and MRI findings = what % of MS developing
60-80%
CIS without MRI findings = what % of MS developing
20%
