Clinically isolated syndrome 14 yr follow up study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding and preventing long-term disability in multiple sclerosis: a 14-year follow up study of patients with clinically isolated syndrome
IRAS ID
135700
Contact name
David Hugh Miller
Contact email
Research summary
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common neurological disorder in young adults. In 85% of people, MS first presents with an episode of inflammation affecting the nervous system called a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). Some people with CIS stay well and do not have further symptoms while some others go on to have recurrent attacks of inflammation or relapses and are diagnosed as having relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). The prognosis of RRMS is variable. Some people remain well in the long term, sometimes called benign MS. Permanent disability can develop either when people do not recover fully from a relapse or when the disease changes and disability slowly increases with time, referred to as secondary progressive MS (SPMS). Treatments are available that reduce the number of relapses in people with RRMS but there are currently no available treatments for SPMS.
The factors involved in the development of long term disability and the change from relapsing to progressive MS are largely unknown. This research study will help clarify these factors using new MRI techniques in a group of people who were seen with a CIS between 1995 and 2004 at Moorfields Eye Hospital or the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and who we have previously been followed up on several occasions, the last time being 7-10 years ago. We will use new MRI techniques to better understand why some people with MS become disabled and others don’t. This will help to identify new treatment strategies that have potential to prevent long-term disability. We will also use the information obtained from previous scans to see if there are any early changes on MRI that allow us to identify which patients will become disabled so we can treat this group more effectively with current and future treatments.
REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/1413
Date of REC Opinion
14 Nov 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion