Here's some background information on the new negative CCSVI study headed up by Dr. Olaf Stüve.
The most recent was the testing for CCSVI using doppler ultrasound (no Esaote transcranial doppler was used, per Zamboni's protocol)
The press in the US has picked up this small negative study and is running with it....saying CCSVI has nothing to do with MS.
This testing was performed on a small group of Vets and normal controls----
No Cerebral or Cervical Venous Insufficiency in US Veterans With Multiple Sclerosis
Ellen Marder, MD; Pramod Gupta, MD; Benjamin M. Greenberg, MD; Elliot M. Frohman, MD, PhD; Amer M. Awad, MD; Bridget Bagert, MD;Olaf Stüve, MD, PhD
Arch Neurol. Published online August 8, 2011. doi:10.1001/archneurol.2011.185
ABSTRACT
Objective To determine if chronic cerebral venous insufficiency exists in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) using ultrasonography and 4-dimensional color Doppler ultrasonography examination and unverified criteria proposed by Zamboni et al.
Design Patients with MS and clinically isolated syndrome were matched by age and sex with subjects with migraine or no neurological disease. All subjects underwent gray-scale, color, and spectral Doppler ultrasonography examination of the internal jugular veins (IJVs), vertebral veins, and deep cerebral veins for stenosis, absence of signal, and reflux.
Setting Academic MS center.
Patients All patients with MS fulfilled revised McDonald criteria for the diagnosis of MS. Patients with clinically isolated syndrome exhibited a typical transient focal neurological deficit and had magnetic resonance imaging lesions typical of MS. Control subjects were recruited from the VA migraine clinic or staff.
Main Outcome Measures Five parameters of venous outflow used by Zamboni et al were examined: (1) IJV or vertebral vein reflux, (2) deep cerebral vein reflux, (3) IJV stenosis, (4) absence of flow in IJVs or vertebral veins, and (5) change in cross-sectional area of the IJV with postural change.
Results There was no significant difference in the number and type of venous outflow abnormalities in patients with MS compared with controls.
Conclusion This study does not support the theory that chronic cerebral venous insufficiency exists in MS.
http://archneur.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/archneurol.2011.185#AUTHINFO%23AUTHINFO
Here is information on Dr. Stüve. He, along with Dr. Hauser (the editor of the Annals of Neurology), is an immunologist, an MS specialist who utilizes the EAE model of MS for his research, and a proponent of B cell therapy for MS. He and Dr. Hauser were the main proponents for Rituxan in MS-
Dr. Stuve headed up studies on Rituxan in MS, which, like Dr. Hauser, were funded by the drug companies.
http://archneur.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/66/2/259.pdf
Olaf Stuve, M.D., Ph.D., Neurologist
UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
"The response to the Rituxan in those patients were really dramatic, in terms of not only stopping disease progression, but really helping the patient to recover some of the neurological function."
These white spots -- hallmarks of MS --are lesions on a patient's brain before treatment. After treatment, they are all gone. "I think it will be a very effective therapy and probably more effective than what we have available at this time."
http://www.wchstv.com/newsroom/healthyforlife/2460.shtml
Dr. Stüve's research focuses on novel pharmacotherapies for MS and other inflammatory diseases, including NMO. He has been the site principal investigator and a consultant for numerous clinical trials. In addition, translational studies on tissue samples of MS patients are conducted in collaboration with neurologists at UT Southwestern and Texas Neurology. The experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model is extensively used for pharmacological and mechanistic studies. Another focus of research is the genetic regulation of CNS autoimmunity. Dr. Stüve's research has been supported by grants from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS), the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and the Viragh Family Foundation.
http://dvarc.org/research/neurology.php
OLAF STÜVE, MD, PhD, FAAN
Chief, Neurology Section, Dallas VA Medical Center Dallas, Texas
Relationship Disclosure: Dr Stüve has received personal compensation for speaking engagements from Teva Neuroscience and in an editorial capacity from Archives of Neurology. Dr Stüve’s compensation and/or research work has been funded, entirely or in part, by a grant to his university from a governmental organization and a for-profit organization.The grant agreement requires that the name of the funding entity and the purpose of the grant may not be disclosed.
I've stated many times on this page that my husband Jeff had perfectly normal doppler ultrasound results at Stanford (just like this study), because no Zamboni protocol TCD was employed, and the doppler picked up his vertebral veins as his jugulars. It was only after his MRV and venography that we saw how mangled his jugular veins were and noted his stenotic dural sinus. It is 28 months since his first angioplasty, and he remains relapse and progression free. He is hiking, biking and exercising everyday in the summer heat. No fatigue or heat intolerence since his jugular veins and sinus were repaired. While I do not believe venoplasty is a "cure" for MS (just as there is no "cure" for stroke) I do believe pwMS have a right to know if they have venous occlusion, slowed perfusion and stenotic veins.
I also believe it is time to end the tyranny of the EAE model for MS, and the grip that immunologists and their drug company sponsors have on MS research. We need more non-biased research into the vascular paradigm.
Joan (still on vacation, but angered by the absurdity of these incomplete and biased studies)
