Hans Jacob Hansen

Sensory function and quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis and pain.

&NA; Central neuropathic pain is well known in multiple sclerosis (MS), but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. In the present study we studied sensory function in MS patients with pain, MS patients without pain and healthy subjects in order to clarify the role of sensory abnormalities in pain. Fifty MS patients with pain were randomly recruited from a previous epidemiological MS study in Aarhus County, Denmark. Age and gender stratified MS patients without pain (N=50) and healthy subjects (N=50) served as controls. Patients with pain underwent a structured pain interview. Sensory function was examined by bedside and quantitative sensory testing. Quality of life was assessed using the health‐related quality of life questionnaire, SF‐36. Patients with pain had lower pressure pain threshold than pain‐free patients (260 kPa vs. 322 (median), P=0.02) otherwise quantitative sensory testing was similar. Pain patients more frequently had cold allodynia (9/50 vs. 0/50, P=0.003) and abnormal temporal summation (10/48 vs. 3/49, P=0.03). Fifty‐eight percent had central pain. Central pain patients did not differ from musculoskeletal pain patients in quantitative sensory testing, but allodynia was more common in MS patients with central pain. Pain patients scored lower in all dimensions of SF‐36 compared with pain‐free patients and healthy subjects. The results suggest that pain in MS is central in more than half of the patients and is associated with mechanical or thermal hyperalgesia.

Immunomodulatory treatment of multiple sclerosis in Denmark: a prospective nationwide survey

Objective: The aim of the present study was to provide data on the use of immunomodulatory therapies in a population comprising all treated patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in Denmark. Patients and methods: From the introduction of immunomodulatory therapy in Denmark in 1996 through 2003, all patients that started immunomodulatory therapy were followed prospectively with neurological examination and standard laboratory tests every six months, and clinical data were reported to the MS Treatment Register, including relapses, Expanded Disability Status Scale scores and side effects. Results: From 1996 through 2003 in all 2393 patients had started immunomodulatory therapy for RRMS, of whom 1252 (52.3%) were still on therapy with the same product at follow-up on 1 January 2005, whereas 1141 patients had discontinued or changed immunomodulatory therapy. Multiple Cox regression analysis of the risk of suffering a relapse showed a hazard ratio of 1.48 in patients with three or more relapses in the 24 months prior to onset compared with patients with two relapses or less; the hazard ratio was 0.84 in patients with age ≥ 38 years at treatment start compared with patients of age <38, and 1.17 for females compared with males. For disease progression the hazard ratio was 1.24 for age = 38 years compared with age ≥ 37 years. Significant differences were observed in the hazard ratios between the different preparations, probably due to selection bias. Conclusion: The response to immunomodulatory therapy can be predicted to some extent from demographic variables. Differences between preparations can mainly be ascribed to selection bias, and open studies are not suited for comparison of efficacy between different preparations.

Familial hemiplegic migraine—a reappraisal and a long-term follow-up study

Six patients (two females and four males in one family) with hemiplegic migraine are described. The age of onset was between six and eighteen years. Hemiplegic attacks were usually accompanied by transient neurological disturbances referable to the territory of the vertebrobasilar arterial tree. Brain-stem involvement and vertebrobasilar dysfunction in the reported family was supported by angiography in one case, revealing a marked and prolonged spasm of the basilar artery. Despite its dramatic character and occasionally prolonged deficits the course was essentially benign. Hemiplegic attacks disappeared during adolescence in five of the six patients. No permanent neurological residual phenomena were encountered during a mean follow-up of 14 years. The possibility is raised of a genetically determined susceptibility to periodic vasoconstriction in a particular vascular area as the basis of the syndrome.

MRI of the central nervous system in MS patients with and without pain.

BACKGROUND Central pain (CP) is a common symptom in MS. Multiple theories are present about the mechanism of CP. Previous studies suggested that lesion of the spinothalamic tract is a necessary condition for development of CP. No previous study has in detail evaluated the association between the specific site of demyelinations and the presence of CP in MS. OBJECTIVE The study aimed to evaluate the location of plaques in MS patients with CP including a group of MS patients without pain as a reference group. METHODS All patients underwent a bedside sensory examination and MRI of the brain and spinal cord. MR imaging was acquired on an 1.5 Tesla MR equipment. A trained neuroradiologist, blinded to pain status, evaluated the MRI. RESULTS Thirteen MS patients with CP and 10 MS patients without pain were included. Allodynia and/or dysesthesia were more frequent in pain patients (11/13 vs. 1/10, P<0.01). No difference was found in the number of patients with plaques in spinothalamic tract, dorsal column-medial lemniscus, dorsolateral funiculus, grey substance, thalamus or capsula interna. A non-significantly lower number of pain patients had lesions in thalamo-cortical pathways (8/13 vs. 10/10, P=0.027). CONCLUSIONS No association between CP and site of demyelinations was found, although a trend toward a higher prevalence of intact thalamo-cortical pathways was seen in pain patients. CP was associated with allodynia, suggesting central hyperexcitability.Background: Central pain (CP) is a common symptom in MS. Multiple theories are present about the mechanism of CP. Previous studies suggested that lesion of the spinothalamic tract is a necessary condition for development of CP. No previous study has in detail evaluated the association between the specific site of demyelinations and the presence of CP in MS.