A recent study targets the evaluation of short-term outcomes after endovascular treatment for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The retrospective study reportedly encompassed 192 MS patients with a mean age of 48 years old treated for CCSVI during a 4-month period.  

Researchers say patients completed pre- and post-procedure Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life (MSQOL-54) questionnaires, which were compared in order to pinpoint the effect of treatment on quality of life (QOL) based on MS subtypes and years since MS diagnosis. The study indicates that subtypes included 96 patients with relapsing remitting (RRMS), 66 patients with secondary progressive (SPMS), and 30 patients with primary progressive (PPMS).

According to the study, 98% of the study participants underwent angioplasty (PTA) and 3 patients underwent PTA with stent placement, and 2.2 vessels were treated per procedure. The results suggest that in these patients, the mean physical health (PHS) scores changed from 43.2 to 52.4 and mental health (MHS) scores from 57.1 to 65.2. RRMS patients exhibited the greatest improvement, researchers say, reporting a 77% physical improvement and a 74% mental heath improvement. Researchers add that SPMS patients were less likely than RRMS and PPMS patients to improve their PHS or MHS. PPMS patients reportedly exhibited a 77% physical and 70% mental improvement.

Researchers conclude that endovascular treatment of CCSVI can facilitate significant, short-term improvement in physical and mental health-related QOL. Yet, researchers note, the improvement occurred less often in SPMS than in RRMS and PPMS, and also less often in patients with more than 10 years since MS diagnosis. The researchers call for a prospective randomized trail in order to evaluate the role of endovascular CCSVI in MS and also to understand the implications of the present study in terms of patient selection.

Source(s): Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (JVIR), Medscape