Meta-analyses of the CCSVI paradigm are beginning to be published. A meta-analysis occurs when a researcher takes the time to evaluate the whole body of evidence concerning a particular subject and tries to come to an overall conclusion. The person doing the analysis will call out individual papers that seem to be outliers and look for trends.
Recent paper along these lines was published in frontiers of medicine and previously discussed. See the paper here: http://www.frontiersin.org/endovascular_and_interventional_neurology/10.3389/fneur.2011.00044/full
The authors evalaution is generally open to the idea of CCSVI and correctly identifies several issues that still need to be understood for the presence of CCSVI in multiple sclerosis patients to be widely accepted. Importantly they are focused on more than just the question of whether or not CCSVI exists; they are also interested in the question of whether it's a plausible theory, and seemed to conclude that the idea has merit though more work is needed.
Here is the concluding paragraph:
The incomplete understanding of the pathophysiology and effective treatment in a chronic and debilitating disease that affects up to 2.5 million people worldwide is the foundation of the enthusiasm for a proposed treatable vascular model such as CCSVI. If confirmed, the vascular model would change understanding of the pathophysiology of MS considerably. The proposal that CCSVI underlies the pathophysiology of MS has emerged with several compelling reports, however a careful understanding of several elements is needed. A better understanding of the pathophysiology, standardized diagnostic criteria, and rigorous randomized evaluation of intervention with long-term outcomes are needed before widespread adoption of endovascular therapies. Further endovascular technique and device developments will then be needed to ensure durable efficacy. Endovascular therapy for MS remains investigational and should remain limited to multicenter, blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trials.
The trend identified by this group is that CCSVI has merit as a theory but that we need better proof of what is happening physically in CCSVI, better and reliable diagnosis, and finally data related to treatment.
An additional recent meta-analysis done by the Canadian government has determined that there is enough evidence that CCSVI is present in MS for the government to endorse and pay for further studies. see the note here
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150237606777211
This is a highly important shift in focus away from those infernal Doppler studies and the seeming "turf war" about whether CCSVI even exists and toward looking at the question of how it relates to MS itself. Although many of us can't help but wish these studies have been done many years ago we really are moving very rapidly due to intense patient interest and contribution. Our writing to governmental bodies, attending conferences, contributing to grass roots campaigns and support of research has made the difference.
Well done! ~marie