Free serum haemoglobin is associated with brain atrophy in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, Dec. 2016

"...A strong correlate of neurodegeneration in MS is abnormal iron deposition in both grey and white matter in MS, especially along veins and venules in cerebral MS plaques..."
Full paper: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5159626/

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Bernhard HJ. Juurlink MD, Dario Alpini MD, Pietro Maria Bavera MD, Miro Denislic MD, PierluigI Stimamiglio MD and Pierfrancesco Veroux MD

We read with interest the study titled "Free serum haemoglobin is associated with brain atrophy in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis" (1). Dr. Zamboni first outlined the similarities between impaired venous drainage in the lower extremities and MS in 2006 in his "Big Idea" paper (2). Chronic venous insufficiency can cause a breakdown of red blood cells, leading to increased levels of free hemoglobin. Exactly what the London researchers saw 11 years later.
References: 1) Lewin, Alex, et al. "Free serum haemoglobin is associated with brain atrophy in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis" Wellcome open research 1-10 (2016). 2) Zamboni, Paolo. "The big idea: iron-dependent inflammation in venous disease and proposed parallels in multiple sclerosis" Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine 99.11 (2006): 589-593.