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Current thoughts on chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency in multiple sclerosis
Lauren C Flynn1, Mark L Moster
1Department of Neurology, Thomas Jefferson University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Current Opinion in Ophthalmology
|September 16, 2011
Summary
Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) was proposed as a cause of multiple sclerosis (MS), but subsequent studies have failed to replicate these findings. More research is needed to understand CCSVI's role in MS and its treatment.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Vascular Medicine
- Immunology
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex neuroinflammatory disease with incompletely understood etiology.
- Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) has recently been proposed as a potential cause of MS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current scientific literature on chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI).
- To evaluate the proposed link between CCSVI and multiple sclerosis (MS).
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating CCSVI and its association with MS.
- Analysis of reported diagnostic criteria and treatment outcomes for CCSVI.
Main Results:
- Initial studies suggested a high prevalence and diagnostic accuracy of CCSVI in MS patients.
- Subsequent attempts to replicate these findings have yielded inconsistent and unreproducible results.
- Conflicting data exists regarding the safety and efficacy of invasive CCSVI treatments.
Conclusions:
- The proposed causal link between CCSVI and MS is not supported by current reproducible evidence.
- Further research is essential to clarify the role, if any, of venous insufficiency in MS pathogenesis.
- The optimal treatment strategies for MS remain to be determined, independent of CCSVI status.
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