Thanks to Alessandro for sending the link to this new Italian study, undertaken by cardiovascular researchers at the University of Bari and published in Current Neurovascular Research

link to abstract

Curr Neurovasc Res. 2012 Apr 4. [Epub ahead of print]

MULTIGATE QUALITY DOPPLER PROFILES AND MORPHOLOGICAL/HEMODYNAMIC ALTERATIONS IN

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS.

Ciccone MM, Galeandro AI, Scicchitano P, Zito A.

Source

Cardiovascular Diseases Section, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (DETO), University of Bari, piazza G. Cesare, 11, 70124 - Bari, Italy. ciccone@cardio.uniba.it.

Abstract

Venous echo-color-Doppler (ECD) showed that chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) syndrome is related to multiple sclerosis (MS).

Study aims were to assess interobserver variability in ultrasound evaluation of MS patients and to relate echo-markers to MS clinical symptoms and disability degree.

277 MS patients (117 men, mean age 43.05±10.04 years) admitted to the Neurology Department of Bari University General Hospital, underwent to clinical, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) evaluation, and to a cerebro-venous system ECD evaluation.

Two operators re-evaluated 32 patients to calculate interobserver variability. McNemar test confirmed the procedure reproducibility between two operators (p=ns).

Septa/membranes correlated with deep cerebral veins reflux [right: absence 16% vs 58% presence, p

(this means that when there were intraluminal, or inside the vein tissue, there was a correlation with reflux into the deep cerebral veins.

their absence to Primary Progressive (PP) MS form [right: 11% vs 2%, p

(when there was no intraluminal membranes, is was a bit more likely the patient had PPMS)

Internal jugular veins (IJVs) reflux absence was in Relapsing-remitting (RR) form [right: 60% vs 74%, p=0.036; left: 56% vs 85%, p,0.0001]

like hemodinamically significant stenosis [right: 57% vs 69%, p=0.033; left: 49% vs 73%, p

A supine IJVs blocked flow was related to EDSS class [right: 4.8±1.5 vs 5.4±1.4, p=0.006; left: 4.7±1.6 vs 5.5±1.2, p

(when the patient was lying down, and there was blocked flow detected, there was a relationship seen between the EDSS level)

its absence was linked to RR [right: 60% vs 76%, p=0.016; left: 58% vs 79%, p

(the absense of blocked flow when lying down, was linked to RRMS)

ECD has an important value in MS patients with IJV anomalies detection and a good interobserver procedure reproducibility. MS is associated to CCSVI, although further studies are needed.

It's interesting to note that this study found those intraluminal membranes and tissue that change hemodynamics and caused reflux into the deep cerebral veins were more related to RRMS, while completely blocked flow when lying down was related to higher EDSS numbers and PPMS.  

 http://www.facebook.com/notes/ccsvi-in-multiple-sclerosis/new-doppler-ultrasound-research-finds-ccsvi-linked-to-ms/10150703183492211