Analysis of NAMCS data for multiple sclerosis, 1998–2004

BACKGROUND: To our knowledge, no study to date has investigated the prescribing patterns of immunomodulatory agents (IMAs) in an outpatient setting in the United States. To address this issue, we performed retrospective data analyses on National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) data for MS patient visits between 1998 and 2004. METHODS: NAMCS data are a weighted estimate of the nationwide frequency of patients' outpatient clinic visits. We analyzed NAMCS data in the following categories: (1) the proportion of MS patient visits to neurologists, family practitioners or internists, (2) age/gender/race/geographical distribution patterns in patient visits, and (3) the proportion of patients on IMA treatment among established MS patients. RESULTS: There were an estimated 6.7 million multiple sclerosis (MS) patient visits to the clinics between 1998–2004. Neurologists recorded the most patient visits, 50.7%. Patient visits were mostly in the fourth and fifth decade age group (57.9%). The male to female ratio was 1:4. No statistical evidence was observed for a decline or increase in IMA usage. About 62% patients visiting neurologists and 92% seen by family practitioners/internists were not using IMAs. Our results suggest that between the years 1998–2003, the use of interferon-1a tended to decline while the use of interferon-1b and glatiramer acetate, increased. CONCLUSION: Strategies that lead to improved use of IMAs in the management of MS in the outpatient setting are needed

Microarray analysis in B cells among siblings with/without MS - role for transcription factor TCF2

Abstract Background We investigated if global gene expression and transcription networks in B-lymphocytes of siblings with multiple sclerosis (MS) were different from healthy siblings. Results Using virus-transformed immortalized B cells and human whole genome bioarrays with validation using RT-qPCR, we found that in siblings with MS, genes for CXCL10, serpin B1 and FUT4 were up regulated whereas CDC5L, TNFRSF19 and HLA-DR were down regulated, among others; transcription analysis showed two intersecting clusters of transcriptional factors - the larger, governed by the upregulated transcription factor 2 (TCF2) and the smaller network regulated by the downregulated CDC5L. Conclusion No study has linked TCF2 to MS and to better understand the role of TCF2 in MS, studies in larger cohorts are required.</p

Microarray analysis in B cells among siblings with/without MS - role for transcription factor TCF2-0

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Microarray analysis in B cells among siblings with/without MS - role for transcription factor TCF2"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1755-8794/1/2</p><p>BMC Medical Genomics 2008;1():2-2.</p><p>Published online 31 Jan 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2227948.</p><p></p> on the left while condition based tree is shown on the top

Microarray analysis in B cells among siblings with/without MS - role for transcription factor TCF2-2

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Microarray analysis in B cells among siblings with/without MS - role for transcription factor TCF2"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1755-8794/1/2</p><p>BMC Medical Genomics 2008;1():2-2.</p><p>Published online 31 Jan 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2227948.</p><p></p> by circles while transcription factors are represented as rectangles. Green arrows indicate that the nodes at each end of the arrow are regulated in the same direction (up or down) while the red arrows connect the nodes that are anticorrelated