Upper respiratory Tract Infections not related to MS activity

Kneider et al. Upper Respiratory Infections and MRI Activity in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis. Neuroepidemiology. 2015;45:83-89.

BACKGROUND: Although clinical reports have suggested a relationship between systemic infections and multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses, MRI evidence supporting an association is conflicting. Here we evaluated the temporal relationship between upper respiratory infections (URIs) and MRI activity in relapsing-remitting (RR) MS.
METHODS: We combined individual data on URI with data on active lesions in pre-scheduled MRI examinations performed every 4 weeks for 28 weeks in 69 patients. A 4-week at-risk (AR) period started, by definition, 1 week before the onset of a URI. We recorded the relationship between the number of active lesions in each MRI with (1) the number of days of AR time in the immediately preceding 4-week period and (2) the number of days passed since the onset of a preceding URI.
RESULTS: Average MRI lesions/day showed no difference between AR (0.0764) and not-AR (0.0774) periods. The number of lesions in 483 pre-scheduled MRI examinations did not correlate with the AR proportion in the prior 4-week period, and time from URI onset did not correlate with lesion number on the next MRI examination.
CONCLUSION: The occurrence of a URI did not increase the risk of MRI activity evaluated in an adjacent 4-week window in RRMS. 


For many years we have been told that relapses can occur shortly after an chest infection, but this study argues against this. Lets  wait until there is more confirmation. 

However, there may be many triggers for relapses. Yesterday the news was aglow that the MS Society suggested that people (about 48%) required to undergo an assessment to claim disability benefits felt that their health was damaged and that their condition deteriorated or they relapsed.Just over a third who had a face-to-face assessment for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) said the same.

As well as the detrimental impact on health recorded by the survey, a number of respondents said the changes to the benefits system had forced them to spend less, including on treatment. About a third said they were spending less on food, 28% on transport and 41% on socialising with family and friends.

The charity says the disability benefits system fails to take adequate account of the fluctuating and hidden symptoms of MS, or the extent of their impact and launched a campaign on Monday, MS: Enough: Make welfare make sense, calling for a number of reforms to the benefits system, including assessments that take proper account of evidence provided by professionals who understand the condition. It also wants the government to carry out a full impact assessment of any further changes to disability benefits, including the effects on other areas of public spending such as health and social care.

Have a read and if you think they are making sense sign up to their petition.

You have been posting about this and maybe ProfG will post his views. However have your say.

Maybe Mister Angry will return and Dr Dre will take them to task.

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