Early prediction of unfavorable evolution after a first clinical episode suggestive of multiple sclerosis: the EUMUS score

BACKGROUND

Predicting disease progression in patients with the first clinical episode suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS) is crucial for personalized therapeutic approaches. This study aimed to develop the EUMUS score for accurately estimating the risk of early evidence of disease activity and progression (EDA).

METHODS

Retrospective analysis was conducted on data from 221 patients with a first clinical MS episode collected from four Italian MS centers. Various variables including socio-demographics, clinical features, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, evoked potentials, and brain MRI were considered. A prognostic multivariate regression model was identified to develop the EUMUS score. The optimal cutoff for predicting the transition from no evidence of disease activity (NEDA3) to EDA was determined. The accuracy of the prognostic model and score were tested in a separate UK MS cohort.

RESULTS

After 12 months, 61.54% of patients experienced relapses and/or new MRI lesions. Younger age (OR 0.96, CI 0.93-0.99; p = 0.005), MRI infratentorial lesion(s) at baseline (OR 2.21, CI 1.27-3.87; p = 0.005), positive oligoclonal bands (OR 2.89, CI 1.47-5.69; p = 0.002), and abnormal lower limb somatosensory-evoked potentials (OR 2.77, CI 1.41-5.42; p = 0.003) were significantly associated with increased risk of EDA. The EUMUS score demonstrated good specificity (72%) and correctly classified 80% of patients with EDA in the independent UK cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

The EUMUS score is a simple and useful tool for predicting MS evolution within 12 months of the first clinical episode. It has the potential to guide personalized therapeutic approaches and aid in clinical decision-making.

Tixagevimab and cilgavimab use in Multiple Sclerosis and Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder during anti-CD20 treatment: A single-center experience

BACKGROUND

B-cell-depleting treatments, such as ocrelizumab and rituximab (anti-CD20), reduce humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 in people with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS) and Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD) and are associated with an increased risk of a more severe course of COVID-19 disease. The combination of tixagevimab and cilgavimab was authorized for COVID-19 prevention in immunocompromised subjects at high risk of severe COVID-19 disease, including patients treated with anti-CD20. Few real-world studies are available regarding the use of tixagevimab/cilgavimab in pwMS/NMOSD. In the present study, we describe the use of tixagevimab/cilgavimab for SARS-CoV-2 pre-exposure prophylaxis in a cohort of pwMS and NMOSD, treated with ocrelizumab and rituximab respectively.

METHODS

26 subjects were treated with tixagevimab/cilgavimab, while we used 18 patients as the control group. We collected clinical data at baseline in all patients and during scheduled follow up evaluations. SARS-CoV-2 serological status pre- and post-tixagevimab/cilgavimab treatment was available for 10 patients.

RESULTS

We observed no adverse events following tixagevimab/cilgavimab treatment. Post-tixagevimab/cilgavimab anti-Spike-1-RBD IgG were significantly higher when compared to baseline values. No difference was found when comparing the percentage of COVID-19 infections between groups. All patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 had mild disease which did not require hospitalization. In patients treated with tixagevimab/cilgavimab, the rate of infection among patients exposed to SARS-CoV-2 was lower, without reaching statistical significance. We observed a significantly longer negativization time in the treated group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results are not consistent with what was observed in the registration trial and some more recent studies. We did not observe a difference in COVID-19 incidence nor in disease severity in MS and NMOSD between treated and untreated patients. Our different results may be partially explained by the change in SARS-CoV-2 variants epidemiology (i.e. reduced efficacy of tixagevimab and cilgavimab against the currently dominant variants) as well as different patient selection included in the trial and different dose of tixagevimab/cilgavimab used in other studies. The present report provides a real-life experience with tixagevimab/cilgavimab in pwMS and NMOSD treated with anti-CD20, with findings that are in line with the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology and the recent evidence regarding SARS-CoV-2 variants. Our results warrant further research to best treat patients in the present and future pandemic scenario.

Acute idiosyncratic liver injury after Cladribine treatment for multiple sclerosis: first case report and review on associated hepatic disorders

In recent years, several disease-modifying therapies have been developed for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). Cladribine transiently depletes B and T lymphocytes, with subsequent gradual cell recovery. No cases are reported in literature describing Cladribine drug-induced liver injury (DILI). We describe the case of a 19-year-old woman who developed acute idiosyncratic liver injury 12 days after treatment with Cladribine. Post-marketing adverse event reporting is of paramount importance to allow an early recognition and treatment. Moreover, evaluation of the physiopathological mechanism underlying drug-induced hepatic toxicity can provide clinicians with valuable instruments for prevention and treatment.

Sporadic MM-1 Type Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease With Hemiballic Presentation and No Cognitive Impairment Until Death: How New NCJDRSU Diagnostic Criteria May Allow Early Diagnosis

Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is the most common human prion disorder. Although associated with heterogeneous clinical phenotypes, its distinctive feature is the presence of a rapidly progressive multidomain cognitive impairment. We describe the atypical case of a patient affected by sporadic Methionine/Methionine type 1 Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (typically associated with early cognitive decline) who presented with an isolated hemiballic syndrome and no signs of cognitive involvement until death. We review sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease diagnostic criteria and their updates since their first formulation, highlighting their limitations in clinical diagnostic work-up. Finally, we discuss the recently introduced National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Research and Surveillance Unit diagnostic criteria, suggesting how their application could support an early clinical diagnosis, even in atypical cases, such as the one presented.

Flecainide-Induced Brugada Syndrome in a Patient With Skeletal Muscle Sodium Channelopathy: A Case Report With Critical Therapeutical Implications and Review of the Literature

Skeletal muscle sodium channelopathies are a group of neuromuscular disorders associated with mutations in the SCN4A gene. Because principal sodium channel isoforms expressed in the skeletal muscles and the heart are distinct one from the other, this condition usually spares cardiac functioning. Nonetheless, evidence on a possible link between skeletal muscle and cardiac sodium channelopathies has emerged in recent years. To date, eight patients bearing pathogenetic mutations in the SCN4A gene and manifesting cardiac electrophysiological alterations have been reported in literature. Among these patients, three presented a phenotype compatible with Brugada syndrome. We report the case of a 29-year-old patient affected by non-dystrophic myotonia associated with a p.G1306E mutation in the SCN4A gene, who presented symptoms of syncope and palpitation after the introduction of flecainide as an anti-myotonic agent. ECG and ajmaline challenge were consistent with the diagnosis of Brugada syndrome, leading to the implantation of a cardioverter defibrillator. No mutation in causative genes for Brugada syndrome was detected. Mexiletine treatment reduced myotonia without any cardiac adverse events. This case report highlights the clinical relevance of the recognition of cardiac electrophysiological alterations in skeletal muscle sodium channelopathies. The discovery of a possible pathogenetic linkage between skeletal muscle and cardiac sodium channelopathies may have significant implications in patients' management, also in light of the fact that class 1C anti-arrhythmics are potential triggers for life-threatening arrhythmias in patients with Brugada syndrome.

MSA Mimic? Rare Occurrence of Anti-Hu Autonomic Failure and Thymoma in a Patient with Parkinsonism: Case Report and Literature Review

Thymoma is a tumor originating from thymic gland, frequently manifesting with paraneoplastic neurological disorders. Its association with paraneoplastic dysautonomia is relatively uncommon. Here, we describe the challenging case of a 71 year-old female who developed subacute autonomic failure with digestive pseudo-obstruction, dysphagia, urinary tract dysfunction and orthostatic hypotension complicating an underlying extrapyramidal syndrome that had started 3 months before hospital admission. Autonomic symptoms had 2-month course and acutely worsened just before and during hospitalization. Combination of severe dysautonomia and parkinsonism mimicked rapidly progressing multiple system atrophy. However, diagnostic exams showed thymic tumor with positive anti-Hu antibodies on both serum and cerebrospinal fluid. Complete response of dysautonomia to immunoglobulins followed by thymectomy confirmed the diagnosis of anti-Hu-related paraneoplastic neurological syndrome. With regards to extrapyramidal symptoms, despite previous descriptions of paraneoplastic parkinsonism caused by other antineuronal antibodies, in our case no relation between anti-Hu and parkinsonism could be identified. A literature review of published reports describing anti-Hu positivity in thymic neoplasms highlighted that a definite autonomic disease due to anti-Hu antibodies is extremely rare in patients with thymoma but without myasthenia gravis, with only one case published so far.

Receptor and post-receptor abnormalities contribute to insulin resistance in myotonic dystrophy type 1 and type 2 skeletal muscle

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and type 2 (DM2) are autosomal dominant multisystemic disorders caused by expansion of microsatellite repeats. In both forms, the mutant transcripts accumulate in nuclear foci altering the function of alternative splicing regulators which are necessary for the physiological mRNA processing. Missplicing of insulin receptor (IR) gene (INSR) has been associated with insulin resistance, however, it cannot be excluded that post-receptor signalling abnormalities could also contribute to this feature in DM. We have analysed the insulin pathway in skeletal muscle biopsies and in myotube cultures from DM patients to assess whether downstream metabolism might be dysregulated and to better characterize the mechanism inducing insulin resistance. DM skeletal muscle exhibits alterations of basal phosphorylation levels of Akt/PKB, p70S6K, GSK3β and ERK1/2, suggesting that these changes might be accompanied by a lack of further insulin stimulation. Alterations of insulin pathway have been confirmed on control and DM myotubes expressing fetal INSR isoform (INSR-A). The results indicate that insulin action appears to be lower in DM than in control myotubes in terms of protein activation and glucose uptake. Our data indicate that post-receptor signalling abnormalities might contribute to DM insulin resistance regardless the alteration of INSR splicing.

Riboflavin and migraine: the bridge over troubled mitochondria

Brain energy metabolism has been found to be disturbed in migraine. A mitochondrial defect may reduce the threshold for migraine attacks both increasing neuronal excitability and leading migrainous brain to a hyper-responsiveness to triggering stimuli. Riboflavin, a major co-factor in oxidative metabolism, may overcome this impairment. RCT studies in adult confirmed that riboflavin is safe and probably effective in migraine prophylaxis, based on level B evidence. Improving brain energy metabolism may reduce the susceptibility to migraine when brain energy demand increases due to both physiological and biopsychological factors.