Multiple sclerosis could be treated with statins, says study

Multiple sclerosis (MS) decline could be slowed down with the widely used cholesterol-lowering drugs statins, demonstrating both anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects on the nervous system in previous studies, and chosen for this reason in the latest study.

Study leader Dr Jeremy Chataway of University College London Hospitals, said: “In the progressive stage of MS the brain shrinks by about 0.6 per cent a year. Our main measure of success was to reduce the rate of brain atrophy.”

After the early trial results, published in The Lancet, showed an encouraging effect from statins leading to slow brain shrinkage in people with MS, The University College London (UCL) scientists say larger trials are now able to get underway.

MS is a fairly common autoimmune disease that is suffered by around 100,000 people around the UK. It occurs following damage to a protein surrounding the brain and spinal cord (myelin) after a breakdown in the immune system. Nerve signals become disrupted from the brain to the rest of the body leading to vision impairment, muscle stiffness and uncontrollable movement, fatigue and ataxia (balance and coordination problems).

Unfortunately, there is no cure at present but certain treatments may help in the early stages of MS, slowing down the progression of the disease and reducing the number of relapses.

After about 10 years, it is thought about half of those with relapsing remitting MS then develop advanced secondary progressive MS, where symptoms get worse and there are less or sometimes even no periods of remission.

Although no licensed drugs have found to be effective at treating this stage of MS, Dr Jeremy Chataway and his colleagues are optimistic low cost statins could be considered as an option.
For the study the researchers assessed 140 people with secondary progressive MS. They randomly assigned a high dose (80mg) of one the most commonly prescribed statins – simvastatin –  to half the group, whilst the rest were simply given a placebo. Everyone was then monitored over a period of two years.

MRI scans conducted prior to and after the study period showed an average yearly brain shrinkage of 0.3% for those taking simvastatin, compared to the previously predicted 0.6%. This worked out as a reduction of 43% when factors such as age and gender were taken into account.

Despite not being the primary focus of the study, those patients taking statins were also discovered to have small but significant improvements in their disability scores against those that had taken placebo tablets.

Dr Chataway added: “Caution should be taken regarding over-interpretation of our brain imaging findings, because these might not necessarily translate into clinical benefit. However, our promising results warrant further investigation in larger phase 3 disability-driven trials.”

Dr Susan Kohlhaas, head of biomedical research at the MS Society, said: “There are no treatments that can stop the condition from worsening in people with progressive MS. Scientists have worked for years to find a potential treatment that could help people, and now, finally, one has been found that might. This is very exciting news. Further, larger clinical trials are now absolutely crucial to confirm the safety and effectiveness of this treatment.”

Autoimmune diseases linked to a diet high in salt

Scientists claim that the typical modern day diet that is high in salt could be a key factor behind recent increases in the cases of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, lupus, alopecia, asthma and eczema.

An autoimmune disease occurs after the immune system attacks healthy body cells instead of fighting off disease and infection as it should be doing. An autoimmune disease can drastically vary in the severity of symptoms – sometimes flaring up and other times they can go into remission and disappear for some time.

Initial symptoms are usually fatigue, muscle aches and a low fever. A usual indicator of an autoimmune disease is inflammation, resulting in redness, heat, pain and swelling. The treatment for an autoimmune disease will depend on the specific disease but usually the main aim is to reduce inflammation.

A common autoimmune disease is the neurological condition multiple sclerosis, which affects around 100,000 people around the UK. It develops after a protein surrounding the brain and spinal cord (myelin) becomes damaged following a breakdown in the immune system. This disrupts nerve signals from the brain to the rest of the body resulting in loss of vision, muscle stiffness and uncontrollable movement, fatigue and ataxia (balance and coordination problems).

Reporting their data in the journal Nature, scientists from Yale University in the U.S. and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, in Germany, say that they believe salt consumption could be connected to rising rates in autoimmune diseases. Previously many health experts have stated that genetics increase the risk of such diseases in addition to our surrounding environment. Other reasons for the progression of multiple sclerosis are from a viral infection, smoking and a lack of vitamin D.
In their report, the researchers note: “This study is the first to indicate that excess salt may be one of the environmental factors driving the increased incidence of autoimmune diseases.”

For their study, the team decided to focus on the presence of T helper cells in the body. T helpers are a sub-group of lymphocytes that work to help other cells fight viruses or bacteria by releasing T cell cytokines.

A subset of these T helper cells are known as ‘Th17 cells’ and past researcher has suggested that the Th17 cells help to promote inflammation that is important for defending against pathogens, and connected to diseases like multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment options for some of these diseases involve manipulating T cell function.

Vijay Kuchroo of the Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a member of the Broad Institute, says: “The question we wanted to pursue was: How does this highly pathogenic, pro-inflammatory T cell develop. Once we have a more nuanced understanding of the development of the pathogenic Th17 cells, we may be able to pursue ways to regulate them or their function.”

The scientists found that by exposing the Th17 cells to a salt solution made them act more ‘aggressively’. In addition, it was discovered that adding salt to the diet of mice actually increased the number Th17 cells and that genetically engineered mice with a form of MS, suffered with more severe MS disease in comparison to those mice fed a more ‘normal’ diet.

Study co-author Ralf Linker, from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, said: “These findings are an important contribution to the understanding of multiple sclerosis and may offer new targets for a better treatment of the disease, for which at present there is no cure.”

Another of the study’s authors, Professor David Hafler, from Yale University, added: “These are not diseases of bad genes alone or diseases caused by the environment, but diseases of a bad interaction between genes and the environment. Humans were genetically selected for conditions in sub-Saharan Africa, where there was no salt. Today, Western diets all have high salt content and that has led to increase in hypertension and perhaps autoimmune disease as well.”

Anger at hospital patients being denied the latest treatments

A new report commissioned by the Department of Health (DoH) paints a damning picture of the NHS’ priorities and procedures, showing that they are inexplicably not prescribing the latest and most effective medications for bowel, brain, lung and ovarian cancer that have been previously given the green-light by NHS watchdog National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). The report details how often treatments approved by NICE are being prescribed by hospitals and GPs.

Some of the new treatments have incredibly prolonged the lives of terminally ill patients by over a year in some cases whilst others managed to improve the survival rates of patients by roughly a quarter, so the news that the drugs are not being utilised will no doubt infuriate families across the UK.

The same DoH report also documents how numerous hospitals are seemingly refusing to prescribe the most up-to-date treatments for other health conditions such as arthritis, asthma, Crohn’s Disease, heart attacks and multiple sclerosis.

It would also seem certain patients would benefit over others luckily by circumstance as some hospitals have been routinely prescribing the latest drugs for several years compared to others who have not bothered at all and sticking to oldest ‘tried and tested’ treatments, regardless of if there is anything potentially more effective for the patient.

Ministers and charities have blasted the findings of the DoH, saying it is ‘completely unacceptable’ that the new drugs have been held back for so long – some being approved by NICE seven years ago – and that hospital patients are being denied access to treatment that could significantly improve symptoms and even extend their life.

Specific reasons for the refusal of many hospitals to offer the new treatments to patients can be only speculation until answers are demanded from the government, but some believe it may be because doctors are cautious to prescribe drugs they are not fully familiar with and will instead remain with treatments they have trusted over the years.

Health Minister Lord Howe reacted angrily to the news and said: “Patients have a right to medicines and treatments that have been approved by NICE and are clinically appropriate for them, and it is completely unacceptable if this is not happening. We are determined to drive out unjustified variation.”

Adding to Lord Howe’s comments was Andrew Wilson, Chief Executive of the Rarer Cancers Foundation, who said: “NICE was meant to end the postcode lottery but these figures show that it is alive and well. Access to drugs should not depend on where you live or in which hospital you are treated.”

Although health officials protest that the information contained in the report is ‘experimental’ and too early to draw conclusions, some facts are plain to see and include the staggering news that a drug for advanced bowel cancer has not been utilised at any time by at least 25 hospital trusts – despite receiving NICE approval way back in 2006.

Other findings show that 15 trusts are spurning the opportunity to provide the drug Erlonitib to lung cancer patients. It works at preventing the development of tumours for approximately a year and was approved by NICE in 2008.

However, it gets worse – it has been discovered that there are 24 trusts around to country who are not offering the drug Paclitaxel to women with advanced ovarian cancer. If they had the medication, it could extend their lifespan by an additional year.

Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, also gave her opinion on the subject, saying: “Patients have the right to drugs and treatments that have been recommended by NICE for use in the NHS, if their doctor says they are clinically appropriate. Any perception that there is a rationing of NICE approved medication taking place at a local level is a real concern.”

Jack Osbourne reveals he has multiple sclerosis

Former reality tv star Jack Osbourne and son of legendary Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The news first emerged on Sunday night after the 26 year old revealed he has the illness in an interview with People magazine. Multiple sclerosis severely effects the ability of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to communicate with each other. Currently there is no known cure for the disease and it is believed that those who suffer from it generally have a life expectancy of 5 to 10 years lower than usual. Symptoms can include vision impairment, difficulty with balance, losing muscle control and paralysis in certain cases.

Osbourne first shot to fame in 2002 when he regularly appeared on his families reality television show ‘The Osbournes’, where he was portrayed as a party-loving and fairly rebellious teen. The show gained a massive following and led to him making cameo appearances in the film Austin Powers: Goldmember and television shows such as That ‘70s Show and The X Factor.

Once known as an overweight teenager, Jack lost an incredible 23kg in 2005 when he filmed the first series of Jack Osbourne: Adrenaline Junkie, partly due to a physically intense Muay Thai boxing camp near Bangkok where Jack was put through his paces on a daily basis. In more recent times, Osbourne has been employed as a talent scout for Epic Records and also helped to make a documentary about his rock star father. In addition, Jack and his fiancée Lisa Stelly, welcomed a baby girl into the world in April and named her Pearl Clementine. This particularly makes his recent admission about suffering from the incurable condition hard to take.

In his interview with People magazine, Jack revealed he had initially gone for tests at the same hospital that his daughter had been delivered at just three weeks prior and said, “While I was waiting for the results, I got really angry. Then I got really sad for about two days and after that, I realised being angry and upset is not going to do anything, it’s only going to make it worse.” However, it seems Jack is trying to remain positive for the sake of his young family and added, “Adapt and overcome is my new motto!”

If you have any health concerns whatsoever, feel unwell, or show any symptoms that may concern you, Medical Specialists Pharmacy strongly recommend that you speak to your GP as soon as possible. The earlier any potential conditions can be diagnosed, the better the chance of effective treatment being available to you or even a full recovery. Even in the 21^st century, some people are amazingly still reluctant to go and see their GP. This could be down to embarrassment or some even say ‘I can’t be bothered to go’, but doctors are there to listen and help you.  Remember, the earlier a diagnosis, the better!

Is Viagra a cure for Multiple Sclerosis?

A research team at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona in Spain have produced compelling evidence that Sildenafil, the ingrediant in the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra, could be used to reduce the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

The findings of their study have been published in the journal Acta Neuropathologica. They demonstrate, in an animal model of multiple sclerosis, that daily treatment with sildenafil quickly reduces the symptons of the disease, with a near complete recovery in 50% of the cases after eight days of treatment.

MS is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring.

Symptoms include changes in sensation, muscle weakness, abnormal muscle spasms, difficulties with moving, coordination and balance, and problems in speech, swallowing and vision. The symptoms often appear in episodic acute periods of worsening, known as relapses, or in a gradually progressive deterioration of neurologic function.

MS is one of the main causes of disability in young adults, and while there is currently no cure, some medicines and treatments attempt to return function after attacks or prevent attacks.
In their study, the researchers observed that the medication reduced the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the white matter of the spinal cord, lessening damage to the nerve cell’s axon and facilitating myelin repair.

The researchers are confident that clinical trials with human patients will be soon carried out, given that the drug is widely tolerated and has already been used for treatment of erectile dysfunction in MS sufferers.