Misdiagnosis revealed in new study

[MSUK]

A number of common conditions are mistaken for multiple sclerosis say researchers at four academic medical centres across the U.S. in a study published in the journal Neurology...Read more - http://www.ms-uk.org/misdiagnosis-revea ... udy-010916

[lyndacarol]

Because I think this MS UK article above is important and I wish to preserve it and make it easy for people to find, I have copied and posted it here:

MISDIAGNOSIS REVEALED IN NEW STUDY (01/09/16 – Sept 1, 2016)

A number of common conditions are mistaken for multiple sclerosis say researchers at four academic medical centres across the U.S. in a study published in the journal Neurology.

While clinicians and researchers have known for decades that MS misdiagnosis is a problem, this new study defines the nature of medical conditions that lead patients to be misdiagnosed with MS and possible reasons why they are misdiagnosed. The research involved 24 MS subspecialist neurologists at Mayo Clinic, University of Vermont, Washington University and Oregon Health & Science University, who identified an incorrect diagnosis of MS in 110 patients.

Unlike some other illnesses, MS has no specific biomarker or blood test. In addition, the related nerve damage can cause a wide range of symptoms, many of which also are often associated with different ailments.

“Misdiagnosis of MS is common; patients may experience common MS symptoms, such as numbness and weakness with a variety of different conditions, many that are more common and less serious than multiple sclerosis,” says the study’s senior author Brian Weinshenker, M.D., a neurologist at Mayo Clinic.

“With the advent of treatments for MS, many physicians feel pushed to reach an early diagnosis, and may be less strict than they should in requiring more specific symptoms or objective neurological findings before making a diagnosis of MS. Nonspecific MRI abnormalities that can mimic those of MS are very common in healthy individuals, and widespread use of MRI as a diagnostic tool increases the rate of misdiagnosis.”

In the study, five primary diagnoses or syndromes were identified in two-thirds of participants as the actual causes of symptoms misidentified as MS: migraine, either alone or in combination with other problems; fibromyalgia; an abnormal MRI with unexplained symptoms; a psychological condition; and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, a disease similar to MS that affects the optic nerves and spinal cord.

According to the study findings, 72 percent of the misdiagnosed patients took medication to treat a disease they didn’t have. Some took these medications for many years, and 33 percent remained misdiagnosed for a decade or longer before being evaluated by the physicians participating in the study, who had informed them of an incorrect misdiagnosis. Four of the patients misdiagnosed with MS had participated in clinical trials for experimental MS therapies.

“This study suggests significant and long-term unnecessary risks for these patients,” says the study’s lead author Andrew Solomon, M.D., a neurologist at the University of Vermont College of Medicine.

“Premature diagnosis of MS should be avoided,” Dr. Weinshenker notes. “When in doubt, physicians often can defer a diagnosis if it is not clear that there is a serious neurological problem or if a patient is stable. Physicians should request a second opinion when they are unsure but concerned that it might be harmful to delay a definitive diagnosis of MS.”

The study identified patients misdiagnosed by both MS specialist neurologists and non-specialists.

“While there may be different reasons for misdiagnoses by subspecialists and nonspecialists, this study suggests that we all make mistakes, and I think we can all do better,” Dr. Solomon says.

Drs. Weinshenker and Solomon say they hope the study will encourage better education of clinicians on the proper use of MS diagnostic criteria and on the problem of MS misdiagnosis, and further study of how to recognize patients incorrectly diagnosed with MS.

Mayo Clinic study co-authors are Dean Wingerchuk, M.D., Brian Rabin M.D.; Michel Toledano, M.D.; W. Oliver Tobin, M.B.B.Ch., Ph.D.; Orhun Kantarci, M.D.; Jonathan Carter, M.D.; and B. Mark Keegan, M.D.

This study is funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society PP2074.

Source: Mayo Clinic © Copyright 2016. Mayo Clinic (01/09/16 – September 1, 2016)

[MSUK]

Hi Lynda.

We have redesigned our whole MS news section http://www.ms-uk.org/MSnews, meaning all stories published on the website now remain as individual pages, and, the URLs are a lifetime link.

Hope that helps

[lyndacarol]

This topic of possible misdiagnosis in MS has been discussed by professionals for some time:

"Undiagnosing" multiple sclerosis: the challenge of misdiagnoses in MS. (2012)
AJ Solomon, EP Klein, D Bourdette
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22581930

Disclosing a misdiagnosis of multiple sclerosis: do no harm? (2013)
AJ Solomon, E Klein
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23917103

[1eye]

This study shows there are high percentages of all MS patients who have been misdiagnosed. I think not only are they owed a lot of compensation, but perhaps congressional and parliamentary investigations are warranted.

[1eye]

This topic of possible misdiagnosis in MS has been discussed by professionals for some time:

"Undiagnosing" multiple sclerosis: the challenge of misdiagnoses in MS. (2012)
AJ Solomon, EP Klein, D Bourdette
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22581930

Disclosing a misdiagnosis of multiple sclerosis: do no harm? (2013)
AJ Solomon, E Klein
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23917103

They might have been discussing it, but people who have power to do something about it (and that includes you!) should start doing something about it. (professional what, discussers?)

I hereby declare myself MS-free. Free of a disease so misdiagnosed as to be ridiculous. Free of drug-company usury (which is a crime). Free of silly doctors who spend inordinate amounts of time and energy doing very little for patients. Free of wannabe skeptics who will tell themselves and other people anything, for money, for power, or for the feeling of superiority.

They gave up on me a long time ago. I give up on them. Besides, who needs them? I'm MS-free. Except I might go on next year's bike tour. I promise not to use my motor except for up hills. It's too heavy. 10K yesterday. 20K the day before.

Cured at last. Cured at last! Great God almighty, I'm cured at last!