Journal Article

Cerebral Circulation Time is Prolonged and Not Correlated with EDSS in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: A Study Using Digital Subtracted Angiography

Piu, Pietro, Grazzini, Irene, Santarnecchi, Emiliano, Galluzzi, Paolo, Menci, Elisabetta, Leonini, Sara, Monti, Lucia, Severi, Sauro, Burroni, Luca, Cioni, Samuele, Morbidelli, Lucia, Donati, Donatella, Bellini, Matteo, Casasco, Alfredo

2015

Overview

Literature has suggested that changes in brain flow circulation occur in patients with multiple sclerosis. In this study, digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was used to measure the absolute CCT value in MS patients and to correlate its value to age at disease onset and duration, and to expand disability status scale (EDSS). DSA assessment was performed on eighty MS patients and on a control group of forty-four age-matched patients. CCT in MS and control groups was calculated by analyzing the angiographic images. Lesion and brain volumes were calculated in a representative group of MS patients. Statistical correlations among CCT and disease duration, age at disease onset, lesion load, brain volumes and EDSS were considered. A significant difference between CCT in MS patients (mean = 4.9s; sd = 1.27 s) and control group (mean = 2.8s; sd = 0.51 s) was demonstrated. No significant statistical correlation was found between CCT and the other parameters in all MS patients. Significantly increased CCT value in MS patients suggests the presence of microvascular dysfunctions, which do not depend on clinical and MRI findings. Hemodynamic changes may not be exclusively the result of a late chronic inflammatory process.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Age / Age of Onset / Angiography / Angiography, Digital Subtraction / Autoimmune diseases / Blood / Brain / Brain - blood supply / Brain - pathology / Carotid arteries / Case-Control Studies / Cerebral blood flow / Cerebrovascular Circulation / Correlation / Disabled Persons / Disease / Disease Progression / Feasibility studies / Female / Hospitals / Humans / Hypoxia / Inflammation / Lesions / Magnetic resonance imaging / Male / Mathematical analysis / Medical imaging / Medical research / Medicine / Microvasculature / Middle Aged / Morphology / Multiple sclerosis / Multiple Sclerosis - diagnostic imaging / Multiple Sclerosis - epidemiology / Multiple Sclerosis - physiopathology / Neural networks / Neurosciences / Organ Size / Patients / Recurrence / Statistical analysis / Statistical correlation / Surgery / Time Factors