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“We now know the cause of MS. It’s no longer a mystery,” said Dr. Hafler, who was involved with the new study.

While no one knows what causes the disease, many in the scientific community say a combination of genetic and environmental factors are involved.

Cece wrote:Here are two quotes from the article, can you spot the discrepancy?

“We now know the cause of MS. It’s no longer a mystery,” said Dr. Hafler, who was involved with the new study.

While no one knows what causes the disease, many in the scientific community say a combination of genetic and environmental factors are involved.

Venous Angioplasty in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: Results of a Pilot Study

P. Zamboni, R. Galeotti, B. Weinstock-Guttman, C. Kennedy, F. Salvi, R. Zivadinov

Objectives
Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) is associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). The objective of the study was to see if percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of duplex-detected lesions, of the internal jugular and/or azygous veins, was safe, burdened by a significant restenosis rate, and whether there was any evidence that treatment reduced MS disease activity.

Design: This was a case-control study.

Materials: We studied 15 patients with relapsing–remitting MS and duplex-detected CCSVI.

Methods
Eight patients had PTA in addition to medical therapy (immediate treatment group (ITG)), whereas seven had treatment with PTA after 6 months of medical therapy alone (delayed treatment group (DTG)).

Results
No adverse events occurred. At 1 year, there was a restenosis rate of 27%. Overall, PTA was followed by a significant improvement in functional score compared with baseline (p < 0.02). The annualised relapse rate was 0.12% in the ITG compared with 0.66% in the DTG (p = NS). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) blindly demonstrates a trend for fewer T2 lesions in the ITG (p = 0.081), corresponding to a 10% decrease in the ITG compared with a 23% increase in the DTG over the first 6 months of the study.

Conclusions
This study further confirms the safety of PTA treatment in patients with CCSVI associated with MS. The results, despite the significant rate of restenosis, are encouraging and warrant a larger multicentre double-blinded, randomised study.

mccandless58 wrote:

Cece wrote:Here are two quotes from the article, can you spot the discrepancy?

“We now know the cause of MS. It’s no longer a mystery,” said Dr. Hafler, who was involved with the new study.

While no one knows what causes the disease, many in the scientific community say a combination of genetic and environmental factors are involved.

Indeed, that looks quite bad. It's either mis-quoted or poorly-written. The first quote should have said “We now know the [disease mechanism] of MS. It’s no longer a mystery,” said Dr. Hafler, who was involved with the new study." That would have un-conflicted the two quotes and made them correct in relation to each other.

Cece wrote:

mccandless58 wrote:

Cece wrote:Here are two quotes from the article, can you spot the discrepancy?

Indeed, that looks quite bad. It's either mis-quoted or poorly-written. The first quote should have said “We now know the [disease mechanism] of MS. It’s no longer a mystery,” said Dr. Hafler, who was involved with the new study." That would have un-conflicted the two quotes and made them correct in relation to each other.

Perhaps Dr. Hafler is prone to over-stating things.

mccandless58 wrote:

Cece wrote:Here are two quotes from the article, can you spot the discrepancy?

“We now know the cause of MS. It’s no longer a mystery,” said Dr. Hafler, who was involved with the new study.

While no one knows what causes the disease, many in the scientific community say a combination of genetic and environmental factors are involved.

Indeed, that looks quite bad. It's either mis-quoted or poorly-written. The first quote should have said “We now know the [disease mechanism] of MS. It’s no longer a mystery,” said Dr. Hafler, who was involved with the new study." That would have un-conflicted the two quotes and made them correct in relation to each other.

But moving on to some other articles along the same subject:

Concerns about controversial MS [CCSVI] treatment

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12637191

". . . . . seven published studies by independent researchers have failed to back up Zamboni's findings. . . . Some of those research teams have suggested that what he interpreted as abnormalities were in fact normal and harmless anatomical variations found in everyone."

No Link Between MS, Narrow Blood Vessels, Study Says

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/08/0 ... tudy-says/

"A new study provides more evidence that multiple sclerosis (MS) is not caused by a blood vessel condition [CCSVI], as some research has suggested. . . . Based on those findings, Marder's group said MS patients should not undergo surgery to open up those blood vessels."

New Studies Question 'Venous Congestion' as a Trigger for Multiple Sclerosis

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. . . . . These 2 papers should add a note of caution for MS patients and physicians who are contemplating interventions for possible venous abnormalities based on the findings of Zamboni. . . . . . .

. . . . . "Our results call into question the existence of CCSVI in a large proportion of patients with MS," said Dr. Doepp. "We did not find supporting evidence that cerebral venous congestion plays a significant role in the development of MS. . . . .

. . . . . A second study by researchers at Umeå University in Sweden also concluded that CCSVI does not contribute to the development of MS. . . . . "Our study found no support for using endovascular procedures such as angioplasty or stenting to treat MS patients," Dr. Sundström affirmed. . . . . .

MS genetic discovery casts doubt on [CCSVI] vein theory

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Health/201108 ... em-110811/

"It is now clear that multiple sclerosis is primarily an immunological disease. This has important implications for future treatment strategies.". . . The findings also cast doubt on the recent theory proposed by Italian vascular surgeon Dr. Paolo Zamboni that MS is related to blocked neck veins.

Studies Cast Doubt on New MS [CCSVI] theory (WSJ)

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... %3Darticle

Doctor Challenges Cause Of MS And Treatment



"Meanwhile in Buffalo, Zivadinov says his research on CCSVI already shows a clear picture emerging. "CCSVI is not the cause of MS but might be a consequence or a contributing factor to progression, and I think that has to be studied," Zivadinov says."

mccandless58 wrote:

Cece wrote:

mccandless58 wrote:
Indeed, that looks quite bad. It's either mis-quoted or poorly-written. The first quote should have said “We now know the [disease mechanism] of MS. It’s no longer a mystery,” said Dr. Hafler, who was involved with the new study." That would have un-conflicted the two quotes and made them correct in relation to each other.

Perhaps Dr. Hafler is prone to over-stating things.

Or whomever wrote the article messed up.