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New Treatments for Multiple Sclorosis

Multiple sclorosis is initially characterized by weakness, numbness, tingling, or unsteadiness in a limb; spastic paraparesis may follow. This common neurologic disorder of unknown cause has its greatest incidence.

Clinical Findings

A. Symptoms and Signs: The common initial presentation is weakness, numbness, tingling, or unsteadiness in a limb; spastic paraparesis; retrobulbar neuritis; diplopia; disequilibrium; or a sphincter disturbance such as multiple sclorosis.

In most patients, there is an interval of months or years after the initial episode before new symptoms develop.

Treatment

Recovery from acute relapses may be hastened by treatment with corticosteroids, but the (eg, prednisone, 60 or 80 mg) is given daily for 1 week, after which medication is tapered over the following 2 or 3 weeks. Such a regimen is often preceded by methylprednisolone, 1 g intravenously for 3 days. Long-term treatment with steroids provides no benefit.

Several recent studies have suggested that intensive immunosuppressive therapy with cyclophosphamide or azathioprine may help to In patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, treatment with beta interferon has been Finally, preliminary studies suggest that Cop 1 (a random polymer-simulating myelin basic protein) may be beneficial.

Treatment for spasticity and for neurogenic bladder may be needed.