"The researchers found that the treatment group had a 45 percent reduced risk of developing MS during the course of the study compared with the placebo group. In addition, 24.7 percent of the treatment group had a second clinical attack compared to 42.9 percent of the placebo group. The length of time for 25 percent of patients to develop MS was extended from 336 days for the control group to 722 days for the treatment group. Injection-site and post-injection reactions were more common in the treatment group as compared to placebo group.
"Early treatment with glatiramer acetate is efficacious in delaying conversion to clinically definite MS in patients presenting with clinically isolated syndrome and brain lesions detected by MRI," the authors conclude."
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you're all having good turkey and family time. I'm done one turkey dinner and the next one is tonight! Mmmmm... I need to go make cranberry sauce now.
Friday, October 9, 2009
I got home from work today and this is what it all looked like:
Savoy was catching on blogs
Flick wanted to go get some food (I think)
But he was blocked by sleeping Lady Sadie
But she woke up with that pleading look "take me out"
So she went to get ready
And we left our condo..ohhh look out, thats where the skunks hang out!
To the park for a good shake
And err... the necessary...
Checking out the park
And back home
Sadie just turned 13 last week, so walks are pretty slow. And not so long anymore.
A sneak peak
Savoy was catching on blogs
Flick wanted to go get some food (I think)
But he was blocked by sleeping Lady Sadie
But she woke up with that pleading look "take me out"
So she went to get ready
And we left our condo..ohhh look out, thats where the skunks hang out!
To the park for a good shake
And err... the necessary...
Checking out the park
And back home
Sadie just turned 13 last week, so walks are pretty slow. And not so long anymore.
A sneak peak
Bed time at my full house these days...
Starts with a yawn
And a stretch right to the tippy toes
Then some settling in
And more
And some protective action for the important things in life
And everyones comfy!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
And just because
Starts with a yawn
And a stretch right to the tippy toes
Then some settling in
And more
And some protective action for the important things in life
And everyones comfy!
And just because
My nephew has now perfectly mastered the "Cabbage Patch" look:
And I still take lots of photos my pets :) This is where Sadie chooses to sit when we take her out on a boat ride.
Fingolimod - FTY720 news
And I still take lots of photos my pets :) This is where Sadie chooses to sit when we take her out on a boat ride.
Fingolimod - FTY720 news
Of course I have to post this news right away. I take this lovely little pill! :)
"According to Novartis, the study met its primary and secondary endpoints for both the 0.5 mg and 1.25 mg doses, with no significant difference in efficacy between doses. The results showed that FTY720 reduced the relapse rate by 54% for the 0.5 mg dose and 60% for the 1.25 mg dose, compared with placebo. In addition, it reduced the progression of disability by 30% for patients on 0.5 mg and 32% for those on 1.25 mg, compared with placebo over two years."
Blood test could predict severity of your MS
"According to Novartis, the study met its primary and secondary endpoints for both the 0.5 mg and 1.25 mg doses, with no significant difference in efficacy between doses. The results showed that FTY720 reduced the relapse rate by 54% for the 0.5 mg dose and 60% for the 1.25 mg dose, compared with placebo. In addition, it reduced the progression of disability by 30% for patients on 0.5 mg and 32% for those on 1.25 mg, compared with placebo over two years."
Blood test could predict severity of your MS
Hmmmm... this opens up a lot of questions for me. Would you really want to know? Would there be a better treatment you would choose knowing the course of your disease? Hmph. The drugs on the market now seem to have such similar efficacy rates, so really? Does it matter? Have a read for yourself and leave a comment with your thoughts!
"Research has identified a biological marker in blood that seems linked to patients’ prognosis after the first MS attack, paving the way for a new approach to assessing how the illness will progress. If a blood test based on the biomarker can be validated, it could be used with MRI scans and other methods to improve diagnosis.
Patients whose MS is thought likely to progress quickly could be started swiftly on therapies that can reduce the frequency and severity of attacks, while those at lower risk could be spared medication they do not need immediately. More accurate ways of assessing prognosis could also help to prepare patients for what they should expect in the future, removing the uncertainty that can be a distressing feature of the disease.
The research, led by Rachel Farrell, of the Institute of Neurology at University College London, and funded by the MS Society, also offers new insights into the biology of MS that could improve understanding of the causes of the condition."
"Research has identified a biological marker in blood that seems linked to patients’ prognosis after the first MS attack, paving the way for a new approach to assessing how the illness will progress. If a blood test based on the biomarker can be validated, it could be used with MRI scans and other methods to improve diagnosis.
Patients whose MS is thought likely to progress quickly could be started swiftly on therapies that can reduce the frequency and severity of attacks, while those at lower risk could be spared medication they do not need immediately. More accurate ways of assessing prognosis could also help to prepare patients for what they should expect in the future, removing the uncertainty that can be a distressing feature of the disease.
The research, led by Rachel Farrell, of the Institute of Neurology at University College London, and funded by the MS Society, also offers new insights into the biology of MS that could improve understanding of the causes of the condition."