Imaging inherited MS

Epub: Tipirneni e al. MRI characteristics of familial and sporadic multiple sclerosis patients. Mult Scler. 2012 Dec. 

PURPOSE: To investigate the MRI characteristics in a large cohort of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with and without a family history of MS.

METHODS: Enrolled in this prospective study were 758 consecutive MS patients (mean age 46.2 ± 10.1 years, disease duration 13.6 ± 9.2 years and EDSS 3.4 ± 2.1), of whom 477 had relapsing-remitting, 222 secondary-progressive, and 30 primary-progressive disease courses and 29 had clinically isolated syndrome. One hundred and ninety-six patients (25.9%) had a positive family history of MS. Patients were assessed using measurements of lesions, brain atrophy, magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) and diffusion-weighted imaging.

RESULTS: The familial MS group had greater T1-lesion volume (p=0.009) and a trend for lower MTR of T1-lesion volume (p=0.047) than the sporadic MS group. No clinical differences were found between familial versus sporadic group, or by a degree of affected relative subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS: While familial MS was associated with more severe T1-lesion volume and its MTR characteristics, there were no clinical status differences between familial and sporadic MS patients. Therefore, a better understanding of the genetic and/or epigenetic influences causing these differences can advance the understanding and management of MS.



In MSers who had a family history of MS there was a higher T1 lesion load on MRI than sporadic cases where there was no history of MS in the family.
There was no clinical differences, so what does it say about significance of what the T1 lesions are detecting? Is this of real interest or is it a case of ice cream sales and swimming trunks....In summer it is hot and we eat more ice cream and when it is hot you go swimming but swimming trunks are not related to ice cream.

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