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Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a autoimmune disorder which preferentially affects young women of childbearing age. During pregnancy, the annualized relapse rate (AAR) is modified, but pregnancy has no harm effect on the long-term course of the disease. We aimed to study the clinical course of our MS patients during pregnancy, and compare their obstetrics outcomes with a control group of non-MS patients., Methods: A single centre prospective observational study was conducted. We assessed the reproductive history, MS history, pregnancy course and new-born outcome of a cohort of MS patients who had had a pregnancy between january 2007 and july 2012. We compared the global outcomes with a control cohort of 58 age-matched healthy pregnancies., Results: Complete data from 35 consecutive women were analyzed, 40 deliveries. Control groups: 58 patients, 60 deliveries. EDSS at pregnancy 0,7. ARR before pregnancy 0,5. During pregnancy 0,3, after pregnancy 0,4. Twelve patients were on disease-modifying drugs (DMD) before pregnancy, 4 prenatal exposure occurs. The comparison between relapse rate and EDSS before, during and after delivery showed no statistically significant difference. In addition, compared to control group, there were also no differences in the obstetric outcomes. In MS cohort, we found a higher incidence of assisted reproductive treatments and lower breastfeeding rate, both statistically significant., Conclusions: Our series confirms that pregnancy has no negative long term impact on the progression of MS and also suggest that there is no additional morbidity in the pregnancy, comparing to the rest of the population., (Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Regional analgesia intrinsically, based on its physiological effects, is routinely used for the perioperative treatment of pain associated with surgical procedures. However, in other areas such as the non-surgical treatment of acute pain for patients in a critical condition, it has not been subjected to specific prospective studies. If we confine ourselves to the physiological effects of the nerve block, in a situation of stress, the indications for regional anaesthesia in this group of patients extend to the management of a wide variety of medical as well as postsurgical conditions, of trauma patients and of other painful procedures performed in the patient's bed. The critical patient certainly must be analyzed individually as their own primary conditions is of vital importance, as well as any associated conditions they have developed that can potentially increase the risk of systemic toxicity or morbidity, such as, coagulopathies, infection, immunosuppressive states, sedation and problems associated with mechanical ventilation. This review aims to assess the role of regional analgesia in critically ill patients, placing it within the algorithm decision tree of the professional responsible for patients in critical care units, all based on the evidence of potential benefits according to the published literature., (Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: There is increasing evidence supporting that neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an inflammatory humoral mediated disorder associated with NMO-IgG/AQP-4 antibodies. However, little is known about the subsets of B cells and T cells that contribute to the pathogenesis or therapy response., Objectives: To describe the clinical and immunological changes associated with intravenous immunoglobulins (IV-Igs) plus rituximab (RTX) in a patient with a severe acute attack of NMO and intrathecal synthesis of NMO-IgG/AQP-4, who previously did not respond to intravenous methylprednisolone and plasma exchange., Methods: We sequentially analysed the levels of NMO-IgG/AQP-4 by immunohistochemistry, and B and T cells subsets by multiparametric flow-cytometry, in the CSF and peripheral blood (PB), before and alter IV-Igs plus RTX therapy., Results: In the CSF before treatment, and compared with PB, there was a higher percentage of CD4(+) T cells and a lower percentage of CD8(+) T cells and CD19(+) B cells. After therapy, the percentage of CD4(+) T cells remained high, and that of CD8(+) T cells increased. The observed decrease in the percentage of CD19(+) B cells was lower than in the PB. When the CSF was compared, it was found that the percentage of effector-memory and effector CD8(+) T cells had increased after therapy, and that of IgM memory B cells and switched-memory B cells decreased. The observed changes paralleled the decrease of NMO-IgG/AQP-4 results to negative and the clinical improvement., Conclusions: Our findings confirm that, besides intrathecal humoral immune response against AQP4, B and T cell subsets are involved in the modulation of inflammation within and outside the central nervous system., (Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Treatments for multiple sclerosis therapy are rapidly evolving. It is believed that new drugs will be approved in the near future, thereby changing current indications for treatment. In this context, the Spanish Society of Neurology's study group on demyelinating diseases, which evaluates medication use in MS, has decided to draw up a consensus statement on the current indications and guidelines for multiple sclerosis treatment., (Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The lack of accepted homogeneous criteria for the definition of some demyelinating diseases makes diagnostic characterization difficult and limits data interpretation and therapeutic recommendations. Recurrent encephalomyelitis (ADE-R) along with borderline cases of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) are especially controversial., Objective: To describe the clinical and radiological evolution of an adult-onset ADE-R versus NMO case throughout 9 years of follow-up., Patient and Methods: Our patient presented with severe symptoms of rhombencephalomyelitis and the cranial and spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed large lesions, with gadolinium enhancement in brainstem and spinal cord, correlating with the clinical picture. Infectious aetiology was excluded, IgG index was normal and NMO antibodies were negative. After treatment with intravenous corticosteroids and plasmapheresis, there was excellent recovery in the acute phase. During follow-up, seven relapses have occurred, mainly in the spinal cord, with good recovery and the same symptomatology, albeit with different severity. Immunosuppressive treatment was introduced since the beginning., Conclusions: Our case shares common features of both ADE-R and NMO, illustrating that diagnostic characterization is not easy in spite of current criteria., (Copyright © 2010 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Treatment of multiple sclerosis has advanced considerably in the last few years, at the same time as its complexity has increased. The purpose of this consensus document is to provide specific recommendations and rules on the strategy to follow in the treatment of multiple sclerosis in order to modify its course., Material and Methods: Experts on the treatment and clinical research on multiple sclerosis proposed by the Demyelinating Diseases Group of the Spanish Neurology Society (SEN) prepared an initial document with recommendations for the treatment of this disease. The final version of this document was submitted to members of the Demyelinating Diseases Group of the SEN, who were able to make modifications and suggest changes to the final manuscript., Results and Conclusions: A review has been made of the evidence levels and indications for the treatment of the different clinical forms of multiple sclerosis, and recommendations made for the use of drugs. As well as authorised drugs, a review has also been made of other occasionally used products, as well as combined therapy, therapeutic response criteria, levels of treatment changes, and finally a proposal is made on therapeutic escalation.

Two brothers developed a slowly progressive paraparesis during adulthood, lately associated in one to primary adrenal and gonadal insufficiency but no electrophysiological evidence of peripheral nerve involvement. Both patients and an asymptomatic sister had increased plasma concentrations of very-long chain fatty acids (VLCFA). A CT-scan of the propositus was initially normal but showed at follow-up diffuse white matter hypodensities consistent with severe demyelination of the centrum semiovale. The appearance of the lesions remained unchanged for the next two years without clinical evidence of supraspinal changes in despite of progression of the paraparesis. We believe that these observations further support a link between the severe infantile variety of adrenoleukodystrophy and the more protracted adult-onset variants. Further, CT-scan in families with spastic paraparesis may be of help in detecting early evidence of an underlying diffuse white matter disorder, eventually supported by more conclusive studies as VLCFA determinations.