IFN-alpha2a treatment significantly reduced disease activity as measured by MRI, but the efficacy disappeared within 6 months after discontinuation of treatment. A long-term study of more patients using disability as a primary outcome measure is needed to evaluate the clinical impact.

The data presented indicate that there may be a possible moderately increased uptake of some specific proteins from the gut in MS compared with controls.

The effect of the new alpha-adrenoreceptor blocking agent prazosin on hypermotility of the urinary bladder was investigated, using controlled cystometry in neurological patients with normal bladder or with uninhibited neurogenic bladder. In short-term administration of prazosin, the bladder capacity was markedly increased and the uninhibited detrusor contraction was diminished. Long-term treatment with prazosin gave subjectively improved micturition in patients with detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia. The cystometrograms then showed less pronounced improvement than in short-term medication. Prazosin offers a valuable supplement to the existing choice off therapeutic agents for uninhibited neurogenic bladder. Side effects of the drug were few.

The level of interleukin-10 (IL-10) expression is related to polymorphisms -1082 (G/A), -819 (T/C) and -592 (A/C) in the promoter region of the IL-10 gene, which constitute three haplotypes, GCC, ATA, and ACC. The ATA (a non-GCC) haplotype, which is associated with low IL-10 expression, has been shown to improve interferon (IFN) treatment response in hepatitis C. We analysed the distribution of IL-10 promoter haplotype combinations to determine whether they could influence initial IFN treatment response in 63 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). The patients were grouped into non-GCC or GCC haplotypes, and the clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) disease activity was compared in the two groups. During the first 6 months of treatment, MS patients with non-GCC haplotypes experienced fewer new MRI T1-contrast enhancing lesions [0.77+/-0.36 (SEM)] than patients with the GCC haplotype (2.45+/-0.57) (P=0.05, Mann-Whitney U test). No differences were detected on clinical disease activity. The results suggest an influence of IL-10 promoter polymorphisms on IFN treatment response in MS.

No abstract