Multiple sclerosis: New biomarker confirmed for early diagnosis

Date:
July 6, 2023
Source:
Medical University of Vienna
Summary:
A study has demonstrated for the first time that diagnosis
of multiple sclerosis (MS) can be significantly improved by
additionally measuring the thickness of retinal layers in the
eye. Use of the procedure helps to detect the condition at an
earlier stage and predict its progression more accurately. This
can lead to a decisive increase in the chance of improved patient
outcomes.


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FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A study conducted by researchers from the Department of Neurology at
MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna has demonstrated for the
first time that diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) can be significantly improved by additionally measuring the thickness of retinal layers
in the eye. Use of the procedure, which is already available at the
Departments of MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna, helps to
detect the condition at an earlier stage and predict its progression
more accurately. This can lead to a decisive increase in the chance
of improved patient outcomes. The findings have been published in the
journal Neurology.

As part of their investigation, the research team headed by Gabriel
Bsteh and Thomas Berger of the Department of Neurology at MedUni Vienna
and University Hospital Vienna collaborated with colleagues from MedUni
Vienna and University Hospital Vienna's Department of Ophthalmology and Optometrics to examine 267 MS patients over a period of five years. Their research built on study results published in 2022, which showed that
MS relapse-related damage to the retina reflects the degree of damage
caused to the patient's brain. The previous study also demonstrated that
a 5 micrometre (mym) reduction in the thickness of the retinal layer
following optic neuritis indicated a doubling of the risk of permanent disability after the next relapse. Thanks to the latest research with
the large cohort of MS patients, the research team has confirmed that
the thickness of the retinal layer can be used as a precise biomarker
to assist early diagnosis.

Diagnostic procedure already available The researchers used a procedure
known as optical coherence tomography (OCT) to measure the thickness
of the retinal layer. An imaging method that uses infrared light, OCT
allows for the generation of high-resolution, three- dimensional images
of extremely thin layers of tissue measuring just a few micrometres
(1 mym is 1/1,000th of a millimetre). OCT is also a tool for diagnosing
and evaluating the progression of eye diseases such as glaucoma. "So we
already have this procedure at our disposal," commented Gabriel Bsteh,
first author of the study. He added: "If we use optical coherence
tomography alongside the current criteria to diagnose MS, we obtain significantly more accurate results at a much earlier stage. This means
we can initiate treatment measures sooner, which considerably improves
the long-term prognosis for patients." Retina as a window on the
brain Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune, chronic inflammatory disease
that causes inflammation and loss of nerve cells throughout the nervous
system. For the most part, patients are unable to feel the consequences of
this damage to begin with, so the condition often goes undiagnosed until
a late stage, meaning that valuable time is lost during which effective treatment could have been administered. Given that early detection and prognosis of the disease's progression play a decisive role in MS cases, medical researchers have been trying to find improved detection methods
for some time now to help avert serious consequences such as impaired
mobility and blindness as far as possible. "We have identified a new
biomarker for MS diagnosis, namely the retinal layer thickness, which
can be likened to a window to the brain," said Gabriel Bsteh, summing up
the study's key finding. In the next phases of research, the focus will
turn to the importance of retinal layer thickness in measuring responses
to MS treatment.

* RELATED_TOPICS
o Health_&_Medicine
# Multiple_Sclerosis_Research # Today's_Healthcare #
Eye_Care # Diseases_and_Conditions
o Mind_&_Brain
# Multiple_Sclerosis # Disorders_and_Syndromes #
Alzheimer's # Brain_Injury
* RELATED_TERMS
o Multiple_sclerosis o Illusion_of_control o HIV_test o
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========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Gabriel Bsteh, Harald Hegen, Patrick Altmann, Michael Auer,
Klaus Berek,
Franziska Di Pauli, Barbara Kornek, Nik Krajnc, Fritz Leutmezer,
Stefan Macher, Paulus Stefan Rommer, Karin Zebenholzer, Gudrun
Zulehner, Tobias Zrzavy, Florian Deisenhammer, Berthold Pemp,
Thomas Berger. Diagnostic Performance of Adding the Optic Nerve
Region Assessed by Optical Coherence Tomography to the Diagnostic
Criteria for MS. Neurology, 2023; 10.1212/WNL.0000000000207507 DOI:
10.1212/WNL.0000000000207507 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230706124618.htm

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