Sexual Disturbances in Patients with Multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that is accompanied by different concomitant diseases. We have investigated the frequency of sexual disorders as an element of individual quality of life with a questionnaire (MSQOL-54) in 80 MS patients at an average age of 42.95 ± 10.39 for the period between 2002 and 2015. Forty of them had between one and seven accompanying diseases. There were problems in both group of patients concerning specific indicators of sexual function expressed to varying degrees. Sexual disturbances further aggravate the vitality not only of MS patients, but also of those with MS and concomitant diseases and require timely diagnosis and treatment

Some Aspects Of The Feeling Of Happiness In Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

Happiness is an emotional state that reflects the positive feelings and satisfaction of life. We examined the subjective feeling of happiness with a questionnaire (MSQOL-54) including a self-assessment of happiness in 80 MS patients with and without accompanying diseases at an average age of 42.95 ± 10.39 years between 2002 and 2015. The results were processed statistically by correlation analysis. There were statistically significant positive correlations between both the self-assessments of the health status and the sense of happiness of MS patients, as well as between the impact on public activities and the sense of happiness of these patients. There were also statistically significant negative correlations between depression and the sense of hap-piness in MS patients as well as between health-related quality of life assessments and the feeling of happi-ness of these patients

Comorbidity of Structural Epilepsy and Multiple Sclerosis: MRI, 18FFDG PET/CT and EEG Investigations

There is accumulating evidence of a mutual relationship between multiple sclerosis and structural epilepsy. Comorbidity of these severe neurological disorders is reported in numerous recent publications in the available foreign literature. Modern diagnostic tools include comprehensive neurological examinations as well as computed tomography, electroencephalography and 18FFDG positron emission tomography. In this paper we report the case of a female patient with multiple sclerosis and structural epilepsy

Planetary Defense team project: READI (Roadmap for EArth Defense Initiatives)

Planetary Defense is a complex problem, not well understood by policy makers and the general public. The recent Chelyabinsk incident in Russia created temporary international attention but has failed to effectively stimulate public action. The lack of long-term attention to cosmic hazards has resulted in limited funding to defend our planet. Hence, it is hard to realistically address this challenge and achieve the high test and operational readiness needed for an effective Planetary Defense strategy. To address this problem, we have created a set of recommendations for the development of a Planetary Defense Program, for the purpose of contributing to the protection of Earth from asteroids and comets. The SSP15 READI Project focused on threats for which there is only a short-term warning, specifically a warning of two years or less from detection of the object to impact. We have provided recommendations in five areas of Planetary Defense including detection and tracking, deflection techniques, global collaboration, outreach and education, and evacuation and recovery. We have applied this set of recommendations in a narrative scenario to make our report more impactful and engaging. We contrast optimistic and pessimistic outcomes for a comet threat, differing from each other in terms of the level of readiness achieved during the years leading up to the discovery of the threat. In our optimistic scenario, the deflection system has achieved high test and operational readiness. The world’s governments have realized the importance of being prepared against cosmic hazards and put in place all of the necessary measures for a successful defense, leading to a positive deflection of the comet. In contrast, in the pessimistic scenario no preparation is done before the detection, and the comet strikes a heavily populated area releasing energy equivalent to 80 times the most powerful nuclear bomb ever detonated. The recommendations that we have identified in this report constitute a roadmap to avoid this horrible outcome, and we believe they should be taken seriously and swiftly implemented

Health-related quality of life in multiple sclerosis patients with accompanying diseases

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive demyelinating neurologic disease characterized by a different extent of comorbidity. Everydaily life is challenging for these patients because of physical and psychological impairments. The purpose of this study was to comparatively analyze the relationships between several health-related quality of life aspects of MS patients` in case of accompanying diseases.Material and methods: Health-related uality of life of 80 MS patients, 56 females and 24 males, at a mean age of 49 years, was examined by means of Short Form-36 questionnaire. Forty patients presented with at least one accompanying chronic disease.Results: These patients presented with similar Expanded Disability Status Scale scores of 2.0 or 2.5. Most questionnaire scores differed between MS patients without and with comorbidity. Usually, comorbidity additionally worsened patients` quality of life. There were statistically significant differences between the patients with MS alone and those with MS and comorbidity concerning the depression (t=5.877; p<0.0001); the troubles with concentration/thinking (t=4.822; p<0.0001); the troubles with memory (t=4.020; p<0.0001); the feeling of fatigue (t=4.148; p<0.0001), and the feeling of happiness (t=-3.399; p<0.001).Conclusion: The hot topic of the health-related quality of life of the patients with MS and comorbidities necessitates further interdisciplinary research. Correct treatment and follow-up of MS patients and particularly of those with common accompanying cardiovascular and other neurological diseases could contribute to long-lasting preservation of acceptable individual quality of life

Neuropsychological effects of comorbidity in multiple sclerosis patients

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive demyelinating and degenerative neurological disease. The degree of disability increases along with pathological damage, especially in cases with comorbidity. Methodology: The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of MS alone and with comorbidity on some neuropsychological patterns. Individual quality of life of 80 MS patients at a mean age of 49 years, 56 females and 24 males, was examined by means of Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 Questionnaire (MSQOL-54) in 2002-2015. Forty patients presented with MS alone and 40 with MS and comorbidity. The frequency of troubles of mental concentration/thinking, fixation of attention, and memory as well as of difficulty at work and other activities were examined. Results: Statistically significant differences were observed between patients with MS alone and those with MS and comorbidity concerning troubles of mental concentration/thinking (t=4.822; p<0.0001), and of memory (t=4.020; p<0.0001). Gender correlated negatively with troubles of memory (R=-0.343; r<0.05), while EDSS scores did with troubles of memory (R=-0.346; p<0.05) and with troubles of attention (R=-0.330; p<0.05). The accompanying diseases additionally worsened the components of health-related quality of life. Conclusions: Common comorbidity in MS patients requires careful clinical examinations and proper management in order to reduce the neuropsychological burden and assure a better individual quality of life for the patient

Clinical characteristics of patients seeking medical advice for nasal symptoms in Bulgaria with special focus on children

Background In an attempt to circumvent low response rates and high cost of classical epidemiological trials, we carried out a real-life survey among practicing physicians consulting patients for nasal symptoms. In this fragment of our work we analyze similarities and differences between children and adults and within the different strata of pediatric age.Methods A survey was carried out by 69 physicians across Bulgaria (general practitioners, allergists and otorhinolaryngologists) and made possible calculation of the proportion of subjects with nasal symptoms from all other patients seen. Its structure allowed classification of rhinitis according the ARIA guidelines.Results Out of the 1685 completed survey forms, 506 pertained to the age group below 18 years. The gender predominance differed in children and adults: 57.3 % vs. 42.8 % of males respectively, P < 0.001. The prevalence of persistent rhinitis in children was 55.7 %, lower than in adults, 63.3 %, P = 0.004. In both pediatric and adult patients moderately severe and severe forms of rhinitis prevailed, 93.7 % vs. 94.6 %, with nasal obstruction as leading symptom: 59.9 % vs. 58.8 %. Cough was significantly more prevalent among children, 72.5 %, gradually decreasing until reaching adulthood, 58.7 %, P < 0.001. Prevalence of doctor diagnosed asthma was also higher among children, 25.1 %, than in adults, 19.5 %, P = 0.011. A gradient for characteristics, which were different in children, emerged across the pediatric age strata.Discussion Our study uses an unorthodox design targeting the patient population visiting physicians’ offices because of nasal symptoms, achieving a much higher level of credibility of the results at minimal expense. As we base our survey on international guidelines, we believe this approach demonstrates the applicability of such consensus documents for practical purposes when in the hands of qualified physicians.Conclusions Moderate and severe rhinitis symptoms motivate patients and their guardians to seek medical advice. While nasal congestion is a leading bothersome symptom in both adults and children, specific other features characterize the pediatric age and differ across its strata. Keywords: Allergic rhinitis, Asthma, Children, Nasal symptoms, Treatment practice

Fragile X mosaic male full mutation/normal allele detected by PCR/MS-MLPA

We report on a fragile X mosaic male full mutation/normal allele detected by PCR and methylation-specific multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MS-MLPA). This combined analysis provides a diagnostic approach for fragile X syndrome (FXS). The method assesses the presence of expansion (full mutation), the CpG methylation status and could determine copy number changes (large deletions/duplications) along the FMR1 and FMR2 (fragile X mental retardation) genes. The method avoids detection of premutations, which makes it applicable for newborn screening. It can also be used in clarification of mosaic cases. The PCR results in our patient showed one normal allele; three repeats larger than his mother’s one. The MS-MLPA showed hypermethylated full mutation pattern in the proband. Both results are compatible with FXS mosaic case full mutation/normal allele. The patient demonstrates atypical mild clinical manifestation of the disease, which correlates to the presence of a normal size allele in the patient’s cells