An endovascular treatment of Chronic Cerebro-Spinal Venous Insufficiency in multiple sclerosis patients - 6 month follow-up results.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, the mid-term results (6 month follow-up) of the endovascular treatment in patients with Chronic Cerebro-Spinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) and multiple sclerosis (MS) were prospectively evaluated. METHODS: Thirty-six patients with confirmed MS and CCSVI underwent endovascular treatment by the means of the uni- or bilateral jugular vein angioplasty with optional stent placement. All the patients completed 6 month follow-up. Their MS-related disability status and quality of life were evaluated 1, 3 and 6 months postoperatively by means of the following scales: Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Heat Intolerance scale (HIS) and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). For patency and restenosis rate assessment, the control US duplex Doppler examination was used. RESULTS: Six months after the procedure, restenosis in post-PTA jugular veins was found in 33% of cases. Among 17 patients who underwent stent implantation into the jugular vein, restenosis or partial in-stent thrombosis was identified in 55% of the cases. At the 6 month follow-up appointment, there was no significant improvement in the EDSS or the ESS. The endovascular treatment of the CCSVI improved the quality of life according to the MSIS-29 scale but only up to 3 months after the procedure (with no differences in the 6 month follow-up assessment). Six months after the jugular vein angioplasty (with or without stent placement), a statistically significant improvement was observed only in the FSS and the HIS. CONCLUSIONS: The endovascular treatment in patients with MS and concomitant CCSVI did not have an influence on the patient's neurological condition; however, in the mid-term follow-up, an improvement in some quality-of-life parameters was observed.

The social and economic burden of venous leg ulcers: focus on the role of micronized purified flavonoid fraction adjuvant therapy.

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) occurs in a relatively large proportion of the population and is associated with significant morbidity, high cost of healthcare, loss of productivity and reduced quality of life. Lower extremity ulcers related to CVI have been estimated to affect 0.2-1% of the population in developed countries. The prevalence of venous ulcers in the US is estimated at 500,000-600,000, and increases with age. Estimates of the annual incidence of leg ulcer in the UK and Switzerland are 3.5 and 0.2 per 1000 individuals, respectively. Treatment of venous ulcers can be expensive, leading to a large economic burden on health services in many countries. The annual cost of CVI is estimated to be more than 1 billion US dollars in the US and between pound 400-600 million in the UK. Current treatments for CVI include surgery, sclerotherapy, compressive therapy (conventional therapy) and adjuvant pharmacotherapy. Various pharmacological agents have been used as adjuvant therapy but in many cases there is no definitive evidence of their efficacy. Effective treatment programs for venous leg ulcers could substantially reduce the economic impact of CVI on health services. In controlled studies, micronized purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF) adjuvant therapy has been shown to increase significantly the number of healed venous leg ulcers and to reduce significantly the healing time of ulcers compared with conventional therapy alone, potentially leading to an improvement in patients' quality of life. The treatment of venous leg ulcers with MPFF was also found to reduce overall treatment costs compared with conventional therapy alone. In a retrospective cost-effectiveness analysis based on direct medical costs only, MPFF therapy improved the cost-effectiveness ratio by 45% compared with conventional therapy. If intangible costs, such as loss of quality of life were included, the difference in cost-effectiveness ratios is likely to be even greater in favor of MPFF. Sensitivity analyzes showed that even with a 20% increase in drug price the cost-effectiveness ratio for MPFF therapy was substantially better than that for conventional therapy (1061.8 US dollars vs 1871.9 US dollars per ulcer healed). Hence, the addition of MPFF adjuvant therapy to the treatment of venous leg ulcers would be effective and potentially cost saving.

[Prophylaxis of prostate diseases]. / Profilaktyka chorób gruczolu krokowego.

According to the WHO, what second man after fortieth year of life, which, suffers on disorder of prostate gland fifth can hear once "my the mister of cancer of prostate". The cancer of prostate gland is this second, after cancer of skin, the most often recognizable tumor at men, and second, after cancer of lungs the most often bringing to death. It is the purpose of article the performance of preventive workings inhibitory the excess of prostate gland, as well as reducing the risk of falling ill on neoplasm disease of prostate gland.

[Venosus thromboembolism in pregnancy--case report]. / Zakrzepica zyl miednicy mniejszej w ciazy--opis przypadku.

Venosus thromboembolic disease is an important problem in pregnant women. The overall risk of venosus thromboembolism in pregnancy is 6-times greater then in non pregnant women. In the article we present a case of a pregnant woman with venosus thromboembolism. The analysis of the pregnancy and mode of delivery, development of disease, diagnostic and therapeutic method.

Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency is unlikely to be a direct trigger of multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, a vascular pathology affecting the veins draining the central nervous system can accompany multiple sclerosis and is suspected to be involved in its pathogenesis. OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at exploring a potential role for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency in triggering multiple sclerosis. If it were venous abnormalities responsible for neurological pathology, one should expect negative correlation, i.e. more severe vascular lesions in the patients with early onset of multiple sclerosis. METHODS: Localization and degree of venous blockages in 350 multiple sclerosis patients were assessed using catheter venography. Statistical analysis comprised evaluation of the correlations between severity of venous lesions and patients' age at onset of the disease. RESULTS: We found weak, yet statistically significant positive correlations between patients' age at onset of multiple sclerosis and accumulated and maximal scores of venous lesions. The patients, also those with duration of multiple sclerosis not longer than 5 years, who had their first attack of the disease at younger age, presented with less severe vascular lesions. CONCLUSION: Positive correlation suggests that venous lesions are not directly triggering multiple sclerosis. There should be another factor that initiates pathological processes in the central nervous system.

Internal jugular vein entrapment in a multiple sclerosis patient.

We describe a multiple sclerosis patient presenting with compression of the internal jugular vein caused by aberrant omohyoid muscle. Previously this patient underwent balloon angioplasty of the same internal jugular vein. Ten months after this endovascular procedure, Doppler sonography revealed totally collapsed middle part of the treated vein with no outflow detected. Still, the vein widened and the flow was restored when the patient's mouth opened. Thus, the abnormality was likely to be caused by muscular compression. Surgical exploration confirmed that an atypical omohyoid muscle was squeezing the vein. Consequently, pathological muscle was transected. Sonographic control three weeks after surgical procedure revealed a decompressed vein with fully restored venous outflow. Although such a muscular compression can be successfully managed surgically, future research has to establish its clinical relevance.