TUESDAY, Jan. 18 (HealthDay News) -- The use of angioplasty and stenting may improve severe fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study presented at the annual International Symposium on Endovascular Therapy (ISET), held from Jan. 16 to 20 in Miami.

Michael Dake, M.D., of the Stanford University School of Medicine in California, and colleagues evaluated 30 MS patients who had undergone angioplasty or stenting.

The investigators found that these MS patients experienced approximately one-half the fatigue one year later than they had suffered before undergoing the treatment, with patients with relapsing-remitting MS experiencing the most benefit. The investigators are currently planning to begin a blinded, randomized, controlled trial this year to assess chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) and its treatment with angioplasty. Several other presentations at the ISET meeting will focus on CCSVI as a cause for MS and its treatment with angioplasty and stenting.

"At one year, those with the relapsing-remitting form of MS had a decrease in fatigue from their two-month scores. The fact that the benefit was sustained after a year gives it more credibility than the two-month results," Dake said.

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