Multiple Sclerosis Flashcards
What type of disease is MS?
Chronic disease of the CNS
- Effects the brain and the spinal cord
Describe the prevalence of MS?
2.8 million people affected worldwide
- Not the most prevalent disease but arguably one of the most vtraumatic diseases
When is MS commonly diagnosed? Why is this a concern?
Commonly diagnosed between the ages of 20-40 years old
Diagnosed when 20 years old - Live many years with it and be disabling
What is the concern of MS in younger adults?
Most common form of non-traumatic disability in young adults
Describe the difference in MS between males and females? Severity differences?
Women are affected approx. 3:1
Males tend to have a more severe disease course than females
Describe the pathophtsiology of MS?
Myselin sheath gets damaged
Axon gets exposed and open for damage –> get damage and see complications of MS
Something in the immune system that causes the body to attck the myelin
Something that happens to the myelin and myselin calls in immune system –> Immune system attacks the myelin sheath
Describe the distribution of MS? Therapy?
High in North America –> Canada and the USA, western side of Europe
MS incidence higher in northern climates; speculated that vit D deficiency may contribute
Individuals often supplemented higher with vitamin D - likely no benefit
What are two hypothesis that can describe the variation in distribution of MS?
Due to vitamin D levels –> Due to the lack of vitamin D (nothing found definitively)
Do not have acess to diagnostics; not picking it up to diagnose in those areas –> More prominent worries
Describe the etyiology of MS. Examples?
Immunological:
- Myelin sheath is attcking itself do know their is an immune component
Genetic
- First degree relative with MS - Higher risk but not purely genetic
Environmental
- Sunlight, gestation time (born in May higher risk of MS), agriculture (pesticides, gas wells, agriculture)
Infectious
-Infectious: Epstein Barr Virus
- Followed veterans for decades, 32x more likely to develop MS if you had the Epstein
Describe the overall summary of the etyiology of MS
Something you have in genetic makeup and something you are exposed too –> Leads to MS
What are some symptoms of MS? Most common side effects?
Lhermitte’s Sign
-Uhtohoff’s Phenomena
-“MS Hug”
Big Ones –> Nu8mbness, tingling, fatigue, and pain, vision problems, weakness
Describe the cognitive sx that may occur in MS?
Brain fog, difficulty thinking
What is the most common early symptom of MS?
Vision problems common early on
Can’t see out of one eye or both eyes
What is a common commorbidity in MS that makes symptom presentation complicated?
Wheelchair is common; a lot of these sx are invisble
Do not present with outward sx
Are the symptoms an individual experiences with MS the same in primary disease and in a relapse? Prognosis?
Sx can change in different relapses
Someone presents with first clinical sx as(optic neuritis) –> Better prognosis
Define the following:
-Lhermitte’s Sign
-Uhtohoff’s Phenomena
-“MS Hug”
Lhermittes –> Tuck head down –> Shooting pain downwards
Uhtohoffs –> Heat intolerance – sx get worse and cannot handle the heat
MS Hug –> Tightness around mid-section, sensation around mid-section
What is an issue with the symptoms of MS?
Can write off these sx – Do not always think of MS
Not uncommon to see someone get a diagnosis and say they have had these sx for a long time until a sx ike vision loss makes them go to ER
Describe the different types of MS
Describe relapses of MS in regards to symptoms and timing
Cannot predict when relapses will occur
Cannot predict what will happen in a relapse
Define Relapsing-Remitting MS. Prognosis?
Patients have discrete attacks over days to weeks with some recovery over weeks to months
Function us relatively stable between attacks
- 30% of cases will will convert to Secondary progressive MS (SPMS) after 10 yrs
Define secondary progressive MS.Medications?
Progression of disability may occur in the abscence of active MS or with continued active MS (after 10 years, 30% of RRMS convert to SPMS)
- Medications can delay/possibly prevent the conversion of RRMS to SPMS
- Clinicians may treat SPMS with DMT’s
Define primary progressive MS. Therapy?
- Around 10% of cases
Characterized by steady deterioration of fucntion from onset
- Ocrelizumab is the only officially indicated PPMS medication
Define clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). Medications?
A single dymylenating event event and not fully diagnostic criteria of MS
Starting meds can delay, but NOT likely prevent, conversion to MS
Describe the prevalence of the different types of MS
85%-90% will have relapsing-remitting and then eventually leads to secondary progressive (hard to predict but on average 15-20 years)
–> Cannot predict what the disease will do
Body can repair the myselin a bit, cannot repair the axon
10-15% are primary progressive –> Right from the start have progressive
- Continual increasing disability over time
- Men tend to have the progressive phenotype
What is a clinically isolated syndrome example?
Clinically Isolated Syndrome
E.g. loss vision but never had a second attack or waiting for clinical attack
What use to be required for a diagnosis of MS? Is this still the recommendation?
Use to need a second clinically attack in 2 years to be diagnosed with MS
Now:
- If have MS will send them to imaging right away to start Disease modifiable therapy
Regarding diagnosis of MS, what are some critical points?
Lesions that corespond to the sx you are having
Example: Lesion on the optic nerve
Enhancing Lesion –> Active inflammation –> Often have clinical sx but not always
identifying MS earlier now rather than later
MRI earlier now
Describe the natural history of MS (IMPORTANT) Issue?
Over time, see axonal loss
Remitiiing-Relapsing course turns into secondary progressive
Brain volume shrinking
Relapses –> Inflammation is high
- Over time as the dx progressqes and moves into the more progressive state,inflammation decreases over time
Majority of drugs available are doing something to limit the inflammation
- Drugs do not work as no inflammation there to work on
Progresisve phase –> less inflammation than relapsing-remitting
- limited drug options as the drugs work on inflammation
How can the progression of MS be measured?
Expanded Disability Status Scale
What is the purpose of the EDSS? Relavence as pharamcists?
A way of trying to classify and cetagorize the level of disability someone has
6 is the threshold: Dx has progressed to a level to where they can cannot mobilize (walk independtly over 100 metres)
Only know how the drugs work in those who are in 6 or 5.5 or less
Is MS a major cause of death in individuals with the disease?
Majority of people do not die from MS
Often not the cause of death in the majority of people
What are some limitations of the EDSS?
Only know how the drugs work in those who are in 6 or 5.5 or less
Limits what we have for people
- RCT’s only with EDSS of less than 6, drug coverage only lists those drugs for those with that score
Focuses on mobility; a lot of other sx in MS
- Does not capture cognition or even upper limb mobility
- If in wheel chair and lower limbs affected, may have strong upper body strength
What are some non-pharamcological strategies for the management of MS?
Exercise (major one)
Diet
Complementary / alternative medicine:
a) Hyper-baric chambers
b) Bee-sting therapy
c) Liberation Therapy (CSSVI)
Describe exercise as a non-pharmacological management strategy of MS
Exercise is a major one
Not the case to just rest, exercise
Not high intensity: Just something to get moving
Describe diet as a non-pharamcological strategy for the management of MS
Diets : No evidence to suggest one diet over another
Eat a well balanced diet
Describe Liberation Therapy ? Efficacy?
Lberation therapy (CSSVI)
MS is due to buildup of iron in the brain and due to the vein running down the brain is occluded
Stent or open the vein up
Pt’s supposebly did well
People travelled to oyher countries
Stents often only seen in arteries; stents in veins likely to move and some people died
RCT’s –> No benefit to this therapy; even inventor turned back
Could have been placebo effect; expensive
- Risk > Benefit
What are some of the pharmacological strategies for the management of MS?
Treat acute relapses
Treat / manage symptoms (Can treat them the same way as we would in someone who does not have MS )
Prevent disease activity and progression
Define a relapse in MS
New or worsening symptoms
Last ≥24 hrs in length
Absence of fever (infection) or other causes,
Seperated from previous relapse by ≥30 days
Describe the therapy for relapse management in MS
High-dose corticosteroids
Methylprednisolone 500mg – 1000mg IV x 3-5 days
May or may not have oral taper
Oral options
1250mg prednisone = 1000mg IVMP
Non-responders – may consider plasma exchange
Not all relapses are treated
What is the most common therapy for a relapse of MS? Is IV more effective than oral?
Treat with high dose corticosteroids
Usually IV methylprednisone 3 to 5 days
- May see a taper (physician preference) and may not see a taper done
Oral works just as well and just as effective –> No more adverse effects
When treating a relapse of MS with corticosteroids, when are certain routes of administration used?
Oral: More convenience, cheaper
IV over oral: Can’t swallow, a lot of tablets for someone, comes down to convenience