Multiple Sclerosis: what is the latest data?
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
It is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and then degeneration in the Central Nervous System (CNS) where myelin, the lipid that surrounds and protects nerve cells, is destroyed and leads the sufferer gradually to disability.
It is not a disease of recent decades. There have been descriptions of it since the 12th century AD, but in 1866 its clinical and histopathological form was first described by the French professor J. M. Charcot. It is not a rare disease (2,000,000 people suffer worldwide, approximately 400,000 people in the USA, 80,000 in the United Kingdom, while in Greece the number of patients reaches approximately 15-20,000). The geographical distribution of the disease varies widely from 5-150 patients/100,000 inhabitants, in Greece 10-30/100,000. The annual cost per patient ranges from 20-30 thousand €, where 60% of the amount is direct cost, while 40% is indirect. It significantly affects the quality of life of patients with the disability it causes.
What causes Multiple Sclerosis?
The cause is unknown. It is not a contagious disease or a classic hereditary disease. A series of genetic variants can increase the risk of the disease in relatives of a person who suffers.
Many factors influence the onset of the disease, such as: viral infections (EB virus), smoking, Vitamin D3 deficiency.
Not all patients with Multiple Sclerosis have the same course. Multiple Sclerosis is a fingerprint for the patient in terms of its appearance, age, gender, clinical picture, any disabilities and its general course.
Not everyone with Multiple Sclerosis ends up in a wheelchair, “the nightmare of patients”, as the disability can be reversible as long as the disease is diagnosed and treated promptly.
Is there a cure for Multiple Sclerosis?
There is no cure for the disease. There are pharmaceutical preparations now on the market that aim to modify the patient’s immune status (immunomodulatory therapy). Their aim is to improve the disease and delay its progression.
However, not all treatments are suitable for all patients. Treatment should be determined according to the patient’s history, age, laboratory tests, and coexisting diseases.
There are certainly many unmet needs for the patient with Multiple Sclerosis, mainly in terms of therapeutic treatment. However, the newer formulations based on the latest developments in the etiology of the disease have more spectacular effectiveness. The result is that the disease does not progress quickly, on the contrary, the symptoms improve or disappear and either the disease remains stagnant or progresses at a much slower rate. The rate of death and severe disability of the disease is decreasing. More and more patients have reduced disability (EDSS<6) and walk alone with partial support for the rest of their lives.
A necessary condition for a therapeutic course of improvement is the correct and close cooperation between the patient and the treating physician, the mutual agreement on the method of treatment and finally the patient’s full compliance with the therapeutic program, with frequent meetings with their doctor, to evaluate the course and decide on further therapeutic treatment.
