This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

If MS were truly a result of LDL cholesterol, wouldn't statins treatment offer a significantly better outcome than the most recent studies suggest?

I don't think statins are that effective to begin with, some studies say they barely surpass dietary changes in lowering cholesterol levels.

But do we all have high LDL levels? I do. But my lipid levels are fine. Is there any evidence of lipid proliferation in MS plaques on autopsies, especially in those early in disease or before the immune system has gotten involved?

I'm all for new MS theories, and I love it when doctors think outside the box. But I'd like to see more evidence before we buy into theoretical possibilities. There are ways to boster the theory, I'd like to see some hard evidence before we get excited.

An article to be published Friday (Dec. 23) in the December 2011 issue of The Quarterly Review of Biology argues that multiple sclerosis, long viewed as primarily an autoimmune disease, is not actually a disease of the immune system. Dr. Angelique Corthals, a forensic anthropologist and professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, suggests instead that MS is caused by faulty lipid metabolism, in many ways more similar to coronary atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) than to other autoimmune diseases.

Framing MS as a metabolic disorder helps to explain many puzzling aspects of the disease, particularly why it strikes women more than men and why cases are on the rise worldwide, Corthals says. She believes this new framework could help guide researchers toward new treatments and ultimately a cure for the disease.

To be clear, despite this being an interesting thing to discuss, this is not the theory of CCSVI. CCSVI is a condition of outflow obstructions in the cerebrospinal drainage, frequently seen as valve malformations at the base of the jugulars but also septums, hypoplasias, membranes, and compressions. It results in CCSVI syndrome, a condition of weakness, fatigue, tinnitus, vision issues, compromised balance, which is treatable by venoplasty of the blockages.

The author of this new research is discussing her ideas in the comments of this blog: http://asknicola.blogspot.com/2011/12/h ... is-is.html
She also shared her thoughts on CCSVI:

CCSVI only "treats" (I use the term loosely) one aspect of multiple sclerosis, which is restenosis (or narrowing of the blood vessels). Therefore, since MS itself is not treated, the chances of relapse and failure of the procedure in the long term are very high. The problem with CCSVI is that it is fairly unregulated, and there has been no serious clinical trials. There are, to date, no reliable statistics on the benefits or potential harm of the procedure in the long term. More worrying is that the MD who first came up with the procedure, Dr. Zamboni, is now cautioning against it, worried about the procedure's lack of regulation around the world.

99 comments on that thread... and the they're surprisingly civil! hah...

It's very nice of the author to devote her time to answering so many questions from the patient community.

So lower you LDL and triglycerides AND RAISE your HDL levels!!!

I take ZOCOR 20 mg per day to lower my LDL levels as well as avoiding eating saturated fat products especially animal saturated fats.

I like Zocor because it seems to offer more neuroligical protection.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=17640385

AND & AND & AND I raised my HDL from 41 to 76. This took a LOT of research and talking with my doctor (Board Certified Cardioligist). For a male 65 years old this is BIG accomplishment. I have (as a side effect totally cleaned out my major arteries) a fact which was recently verified when I spent 60 days in the hospital for other medical problems. They did all the heart test TWICE!! because I been there in 1998 to get a stent put in because my major artery was 95% blocked.

I would be willing to discuss this - the how and why, maybe in another thread -new? would be appropriate if there is some interest.

jackD


J Neuroinflammation. 2011 Oct 4;8:127.

Serum lipid profiles are associated with disability and MRI outcomes in multiple sclerosis.

Weinstock-Guttman B, Zivadinov R, Mahfooz N, Carl E, Drake A, Schneider J, Teter B, Hussein S, Mehta B, Weiskopf M, Durfee J, Bergsland N, Ramanathan M.

SourceDepartment of Neurology, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA. BGuttman@theJNI.Org.

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND: The breakdown of the blood-brain-barrier vascular endothelium is critical for entry of immune cells into the MS brain. Vascular co-morbidities are associated with increased risk of progression. Dyslipidemia, elevated LDL and reduced HDL may increase progression by activating inflammatory processes at the vascular endothelium.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the associations of serum lipid profile variables (triglycerides, high and low density lipoproteins (HDL, LDL) and total cholesterol) with disability and MRI measures in multiple sclerosis (MS).

METHODS: This study included 492 MS patients (age: 47.1 ± 10.8 years; disease duration: 12.8 ± 10.1 years) with baseline and follow-up Expanded Disability Status Score (EDSS) assessments after a mean period of 2.2 ± 1.0 years. The associations of baseline lipid profile variables with disability changes were assessed. Quantitative MRI findings at baseline were available for 210 patients.

RESULTS: EDSS worsening was associated with higher baseline LDL (p = 0.006) and total cholesterol (p = 0.001, 0.008) levels, with trends for higher triglyceride (p = 0.025); HDL was not associated. A similar pattern was found for MSSS worsening. Higher HDL levels (p < 0.001) were associated with lower contrast-enhancing lesion volume. Higher total cholesterol was associated with a trend for lower brain parenchymal fraction (p = 0.033).

CONCLUSIONS: Serum lipid profile has modest effects on disease progression in MS.

Worsening disability is associated with higher levels of LDL, total cholesterol and triglycerides.

Higher HDL is associated with lower levels of acute inflammatory activity.

PMID:21970791[PubMed - in process] PMCID: PMC3228782

I had a perfect diet for 10 years and was overwhelmed with relapses and downward trend.
Since the procedure all I want to eat is meat and sweet, and my relapses have been fading away.

I think this doc's statements are a bit too harsh and unsubstantiated.