Subject: Re: Chronic progroessive MS treatmen

From: [email-masked] (Chris Boyes)
Date: Tue, 17 Sep 1996 15:01:16 GMT

[email-masked] wrote:

: h>I hope you find it.  I also am CPMS and so far nothing.
: o>
: t>Bill - Levittown, NY
: w>

: Can you get your doctor to look at Cyclosporin?

: Since MS is an attack by the immune system on your CNS Myelin, perhaps something that
: makes your immune system a tad more tolerant might help.

: It's been used to treat Type 1 diabetes when it was detected before the Iles of Langermans were destroyed in the pancreas.

: With a slower-onset ailment like MS, particularly the progressive type, it might be even more effective.

: Query: Has Prednisone or any equivalent steroid been used for treatment? If it has, was it effective? The reason that I ask is that Prednisone is also a immuno-suppressant.

As to the first question here is one abstract from a recent review
I may be able to find more later.

The second question has some answers available on the www server, or
if no www then email [email-masked]
Subject none or whatever it's ignored
In the message body include the folowing:

get ms-docs steroids.txt
end

Within a few mins you should get the ducument. If you don't
complain to me.

     Chris

The abstract for p2 is the same as p1
<include abs>

Immunotherapy in multiple sclerosis, part 1
Becker, CC;Gidal, BE;Fleming, JO
American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy
1995 vol 52 no 18 1985-2000

                           Abstract

    The efficacies of corticosteroids and azathioprine (part 1) and of 
    cyclophosphamide, immune globulin, cyclosporine, interferons, 
    copolymer 1, and cladribine (part 2) in patients with multiple 
    sclerosis (MS) are reviewed. MS is an inflammatory, demyelinating 
    disease of the CNS that commonly affects young adults. The 
    involvement of various immune mechanisms in MS suggests a role for 
    immunomodulating therapy. The goals of immunotherapy vary with the 
    clinical stage of the disease and include (1) improving recovery from
    exacerbations, (2) decreasing the number or severity of relapses, (3)
    preventing the development of chronic progressive disease from a 
    relapsing-remitting course, and (4) decreasing further progression in
    patients with chronic progressive disease. In clinical trials, 
    corticotropin and corticosteroids have been found to accelerate 
    recovery from exacerbations. Tapering is often effective after high-
    dose induction therapy. Long-term maintenance regimens do not alter 
    disease progression and are not recommended. Azathioprine produces 
    modest benefits with respect to relapse rates and disease progression
    after two or more years of treatment; adverse effects are mild to 
    moderate. Azathioprine should not be used in patients with aggressive
    disease who may approach severe disability in 6-18 months. 
    Cyclophosphamide, because of its modest impact on disease progression
    and its potentially severe adverse effects, including cancer, should 
    be reserved for patients with aggressive relapsing-remitting or 
    chronic progressive disease in whom other treatments have failed to 
    work; maintenance therapy is necessary after induction. Intravenous 
    immune globulin may benefit patients with severe relapses; however, 
    its efficacy remains unproven. Cyclosporine also cannot be 
    recommended because of its modest efficacy, marked adverse effects, 
    and high cost. Interferon beta-1b is a more specific immunotherapy 
    that has been found to decrease the number and severity of relapses. 
    This treatment should be considered in patients with relapsing-
    remitting disease who are having two or more exacerbations per year. 
    Copolymer 1 and cladribine have shown some promising early results. 
    Although various immunotherapeutic drugs can provide relief in 
    patients with MS, none is capable of reversing disease progression, 
    and some can cause serious adverse effects. Better understanding of 
    the immunologic basis of MS may lead to more specific immunotherapies
    with more lasting benefits.
-- 
Chris Boyes  [email-masked]  Surrey, UK.  Tel +44-181-669-2838
For information about Multiple Sclerosis on the WWW   http://www.infosci.org/
Or email [email-masked], No Subject, 1 line in the message, info ms-docs