Scientists from the University of California, San Francisco, found that increased levels of NfL (a marker of nerve damage) in the blood of patients with multiple sclerosis indicate that the disease will flare up in the future. Research results published In JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association).
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, autoimmune progressive disease of the central nervous system. A person with multiple sclerosis may experience decreased visual acuity, difficulty walking, slowed speech, and dizziness. Scientists tried to find a way to predict flare-ups of the disease (which could lead to disability).
It turned out that the increase in sclerosis symptoms was preceded by an increase in the NfL level in the blood. NFL is called a biomarker of nerve damage. It is a protein found in nerve cells and released into the bloodstream when they are damaged or destroyed. The researchers found that high NfL concentrations were associated with a nearly 91% increased risk of worsening sclerosis one year after the blood test.
The study authors suggest that monitoring the level of NfL in the blood could be a tool for early diagnosis and progression of the disease. Scientists noted that the death of nerve cells is a slow process. Serious health problems can be avoided if the patient, aware of the impending exacerbation, begins treatment in time.
It was before discovered A new way to fight multiple sclerosis.
Source: Gazeta
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