美國將開始計畫執行對靜脈血管窄化相關研究

Rumors have been swirling around chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) studies and treatment opportunities since news of the theory hit mainstream media in late 2009. Most recently, I have heard that new study centers have been opened up and others have closed their doors, but have found it very difficult to verify most of this information.

Here is one that is easily verifiable, as it is now posted on the Clinical Trials Database (as of March 29, 2010): Study to Evaluate Treating Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) in Multiple Sclerosis Patients.

上述為連結, 可進一步參考.

Being run by The Vascular Group, PLLC in Albany, NY, this is an interventional trial designed to test safety and efficacy of angioplasty procedures in 500 patients found to have at least 50 percent stenosis of the extracranial central veins. Interestingly, "safety" as a primary endpoint is defined as "as the incidence of major adverse events at 30 days following the index procedure," and feasibility and efficacy are "determined by those patients that do not have more than 50 percent restenosis within the 30 day time frame."

I'll let you read the rest for yourselves by clicking on the link to the study above (which includes contact information for investigators).

The one thing that I will mention is that the inclusion and exclusion criteria are extremely broad (basically including anyone with MS older than 18 who agrees to the followup), coming down to one possible sticky moment: the person must have presence of greater than or equal to 50 percent stenosis of the extracranial veins as determined by venogram. It will be interesting to see how many people qualify for this trial, based on these criteria.

Again, this is the only trial that I could find concrete information about at this time. Please add any info about other trials that you might have to the comments section below.

PS For any Canadians who have received treatment at Hamilton's MS clinic at McMaster University Medical Centre, researchers there will be conducting a trial to determine the prevalence of CCSVI in people with MS. Again, this study will be limited to local residents (I think current/former patients only) and will not include treatment, just testing.

下篇文章預告 : 復健 和MS復發的關係之我見

美國將開始計畫執行對靜脈血管窄化相關研究