CCSVI: My Widely Respected Neurologists' Suggestion
Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 5:23 pm
"Any research that sheds new light on the cause and/or treatment of MS isexciting. If Dr. Zamboni’s findings are shown to apply to large numbers ofpeople with MS, it would represent a radical departure from our currentmodel of how MS occurs. Caution is warranted along with the excitement.Here are a few points to consider:
1) Dr. Zamboni’s findings contradict decades of prior re3search fromhundreds of scientists around the globe. Most prior research pointstowards MS being due to a combination of genetic and environmentalfactors.
2) Findings of venous insufficiency affecting the brain would notaccount for MS-related demyelination in the spinal cord. Similarly,treating venous insufficiency of the brain with the “LiberationTreatment” would not be expected to have any affect on the spinalcord. For many with MS, disability is a result of demyelination inthe spinal cord more than the brain.
3) Understandably, many in the MS community would like to pu5rsueultrasound studies to see if they have the venous changes describedby Dr. Zamboni. This may not be an easy undertaking. The series ofultrasounds done in this study were not straightforward and will notlikely be available outside of research for some time. We are lookinginto local options for providing this type of testing.
4) The venous dilation treatment for CCSVI seemed to be of benefit inrelapsing-remitting MS, but not in primary or secondary progressiveMS. The search for a therapy to slow progressive forms of MS remainsfrustrating.
5) This trial was not blinded. An unblended trial means that both thedoctors and patients knew that active treatment was being given.There is always the potential for unintentional bias in an unblendedtrial, sometimes making a therapy appear more effective than itreally is. The researchers for this trial themselves state,” There isa great possibility that bias could be playing an important role intrying to find hope for the treatment of this chronic disorder.”
More research is planned to see if CCSVI is indeed a cause of MS. Even ifthis condition only explained MS for some people, this would be a majorscientific breakthrough. The take-home message seems to be cautiousoptimism."
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I believe he's dead wrong in point number 2
Feel free to chime in, Id be very interested to hear everones opinion
Thanks All!
1) Dr. Zamboni’s findings contradict decades of prior re3search fromhundreds of scientists around the globe. Most prior research pointstowards MS being due to a combination of genetic and environmentalfactors.
2) Findings of venous insufficiency affecting the brain would notaccount for MS-related demyelination in the spinal cord. Similarly,treating venous insufficiency of the brain with the “LiberationTreatment” would not be expected to have any affect on the spinalcord. For many with MS, disability is a result of demyelination inthe spinal cord more than the brain.
3) Understandably, many in the MS community would like to pu5rsueultrasound studies to see if they have the venous changes describedby Dr. Zamboni. This may not be an easy undertaking. The series ofultrasounds done in this study were not straightforward and will notlikely be available outside of research for some time. We are lookinginto local options for providing this type of testing.
4) The venous dilation treatment for CCSVI seemed to be of benefit inrelapsing-remitting MS, but not in primary or secondary progressiveMS. The search for a therapy to slow progressive forms of MS remainsfrustrating.
5) This trial was not blinded. An unblended trial means that both thedoctors and patients knew that active treatment was being given.There is always the potential for unintentional bias in an unblendedtrial, sometimes making a therapy appear more effective than itreally is. The researchers for this trial themselves state,” There isa great possibility that bias could be playing an important role intrying to find hope for the treatment of this chronic disorder.”
More research is planned to see if CCSVI is indeed a cause of MS. Even ifthis condition only explained MS for some people, this would be a majorscientific breakthrough. The take-home message seems to be cautiousoptimism."
__________________________________________________________
I believe he's dead wrong in point number 2
Feel free to chime in, Id be very interested to hear everones opinion
Thanks All!