Publications by authors named "Angelika Bauer"
Background: Erythropoietin (EPO) plays a crucial role in the early adaption to high altitude and is possibly involved in neuroprotection. Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is an established marker of neuroaxonal damage.
Objective: To investigate whether EPO dynamics in simulated high altitude are linked to neuroaxonal damage as measured by NfL.
Systemic counterregulatory response of angiopoietin-2 after intravitreal injections with faricimab for nAMD.
Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol
May 2025
Purpose: Recently, a systemic counterregulatory response of angiopoietin-2 after intravitreal application of the anti vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) drug aflibercept in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) has been described. The aim of the study was to find out wether faricimab, a combined anti-VEGF/angiopoietin-2 drug, had an effect on systemic cytokine levels.
Methods: 20 women and 11 men (mean age 79.
Article Synopsis
- Researchers studied the inflammatory response in 173 patients with acute ischaemic stroke by measuring 65 cytokines and chemokines in their plasma, finding varied profiles based on inflammatory levels.
- Stroke patients showed higher levels of compounds like HGF and SDF-1α and lower IL-4 compared to those with spontaneous cervical artery dissection, suggesting different inflammatory responses.
- The analysis revealed that stroke from large artery atherosclerosis, cardioembolism, and small vessel occlusion leads to a greater inflammatory response than spontaneous cervical artery dissection, with stable cytokine levels over time.
Article Synopsis
- Recent studies suggest that myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease could be a rare complication linked to either SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination.
- The research aims to determine if there's an immune response overlap between SARS-CoV-2 proteins and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, which could explain the condition's occurrence.
- Serum samples from various groups with different histories of SARS-CoV-2 infection and neurological symptoms were analyzed to assess antibody responses against both myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein and SARS-CoV-2, among other common coronaviruses.
Body fluid markers for multiple sclerosis and differential diagnosis from atypical demyelinating disorders.
Expert Rev Mol Diagn
April 2024
Article Synopsis
- Body fluid markers can help predict the progression to clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS) in individuals experiencing their first demyelinating event in the central nervous system (CNS).
- The review analyzes the potential of various biomarkers to forecast MS conversion, monitor disease activity, and differentiate MS from similar disorders like neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.
- Recent advancements in research have highlighted both established (e.g., oligoclonal bands) and emerging biomarkers (e.g., neurofilament light), although challenges remain in monitoring these markers, particularly those only found in cerebrospinal fluid.
Introduction: The understanding of the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) has evolved alongside the characterization of cytokines and chemokines in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum. However, the complex interplay of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in different body fluids in people with MS (pwMS) and their association with disease progression is still not well understood and needs further investigation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to profile a total of 65 cytokines, chemokines, and related molecules in paired serum and CSF samples of pwMS at disease onset.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRising breakthrough infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron BA.4/5 led to the performance of various studies investigating systemic immunity and neutralizing antibodies in sera, but mucosal immunity remains understudied. In this cohort study, the humoral immune responses, including immunoglobulin levels and the presence of virus-neutralizing antibodies, of 92 vaccinated and/or BA.
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- * Densitometry tests showed higher osteoporosis rates in postmenopausal women and male pwMS compared to healthy controls, with disability level emerging as a unique risk factor.
- * The developed MS-specific risk score can guide individualized screening for osteoporosis, potentially reducing fracture risks and overall health issues for pwMS.
Article Synopsis
- Many multiple sclerosis (MS) patients on disease-modifying therapies (DMT) are at higher risk for infections and show weaker responses to vaccinations, making it crucial to check their immunization status before starting DMT.
- A study of 424 MS patients found that while most were vaccinated against common diseases like tetanus and diphtheria, many were under-vaccinated for other illnesses like influenza and pneumonia.
- Younger age, relapsing disease course, and higher education levels were linked to better vaccination rates, while misinformation about vaccines contributed to lower rates, indicating a need for increased educational efforts to improve compliance.
The Potential Pathogenicity of Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibodies in the Optic Pathway.
J Neuroophthalmol
March 2023
Article Synopsis
- - Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is an inflammatory condition primarily marked by optic neuritis and the presence of MOG-specific antibodies in patients' serum.
- - Research indicates that both B and T cells contribute to MOGAD's pathology, with genetic factors influencing lesion distribution and development, and optic neuritis often occurring bilaterally with a generally positive visual prognosis.
- - Despite insights into the disease mechanisms, the precise role of MOG antibodies in pathogenesis and the overall mechanisms remain unclear and require further investigation.
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on rare demyelinating diseases like MOGAD and AQP4+ NMOSD, which can lead to significant disability and exhibit distinct inflammatory profiles compared to multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Researchers analyzed 65 serum molecules in patients from each disease group, finding that MOGAD and AQP4+ NMOSD showed notable increases in certain analytes compared to MS, with some differences in cytokine patterns between age groups.
- The analysis identified three distinct clusters of patients based on cytokine profiles, suggesting potential biomarkers that could aid in the diagnosis and treatment of these autoimmune disorders.
This scientific commentary refers to ‘Brain injury in COVID-19 is associated with dysregulated innate and adaptive immune responses’ by Needham (https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awac321).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Natalizumab (NTZ) is an established treatment for highly active, relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. In the context of rare progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and extended interval dosing as a treatment option, biomarkers for treatment monitoring are required. Natalizumab serum concentration (NTZ SC) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (sVCAM-1) concentration were shown to change on treatment with NTZ.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Third vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 is recommended for patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), usually six months after the last vaccination.
Methods: In this prospective multicenter study on 292 pwMS and 46 healthy controls (HC), who had all received two vaccinations prior to study enrollment, SARS-CoV-2 IgG response was measured in the month before and 2-4 months after third vaccination. PwMS were categorized as follows: untreated (N-DMT, n = 32), receiving disease-modifying therapy (DMT) with expected humoral response (er-DMT: interferon-beta preparations, glatiramer acetate, dimethyl fumarate, teriflunomide, natalizumab, cladribine, alemtuzumab; n = 120) or no expected humoral response (nr-DMT: S1PMs, CD20mAb; n = 140).
Background And Purpose: SARS-CoV2 vaccination is recommended for patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), but response may be limited by disease-modifying-treatments (DMTs). The aim of this study was to compare the rates of humoral immune response and safety of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in pwMS and healthy controls (HCs).
Methods: In this multicenter prospective study on 456 pwMS and 116 HCs, SARS-CoV-2-IgG response was measured 3 months after the first vaccine dose.
Comparative analyses of IgG/IgA neutralizing effects induced by three COVID-19 vaccines against variants of concern.
J Allergy Clin Immunol
April 2022
Background: Few studies have directly compared virus-specific antibodies and their neutralizing capacity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) wild type (WT) and circulating variants of concern despite the reported high efficacy of messenger RNA (mRNA)- and vector-based vaccines.
Objective: We assessed SARS-CoV-2 spike protein region 1 (S1)-specific antibodies of BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, and ChAdOx1 vaccinated as well as convalescent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. We also determined the neutralization ability against SARS-CoV-2 WT and B.
12-month SARS-CoV-2 antibody persistency in a Tyrolean COVID-19 cohort.
Wien Klin Wochenschr
December 2021
Article Synopsis
- - The study tracked 29 COVID-19 patients over 12 months to analyze their antibody responses post-infection, focusing on different types of antibodies targeting various parts of the virus.
- - Results showed that the levels of antibodies targeting the receptor binding domain (RBD) remained stable, while others, like the S1 subunit, significantly decreased over time; neutralizing antibodies were mostly found against the wild type but less effectively against variants.
- - Vaccinated participants exhibited a notable increase in antibodies against both the S1 subunit and RBD, along with higher levels of neutralizing antibodies, indicating that vaccination boosts the immune response even after prior COVID-19 infection.
To determine whether there is a correlation between myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated diseases and varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection. We provide a case report and performed a study to determine the frequency of MOG antibodies (MOG-IgG) in neurological VZV infections. Patients admitted to the Medical University of Innsbruck from 2008-2020 with a diagnosis of a neurological manifestation of VZV infection (n=59) were included in this study; patients with neuroborreliosis (n=34) served as control group.
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- - T cells are essential for managing viral infections in the respiratory system, and a reduction in CD4 and CD8 T cells is linked to more severe cases and higher mortality rates in COVID-19 patients.
- - A study analyzed immune responses in COVID-19 patients with varying severity; findings revealed that mild cases had stronger CD8 T cell responses and IFNγ production compared to severe or critical cases, despite all groups having similar antibody neutralization abilities.
- - Severe and critical COVID-19 patients showed high antibody levels and elevated anaphylatoxins, suggesting that strong T cell responses and low anaphylatoxin levels are associated with milder infections, while higher antibody titers correlate with more severe disease.
6-month SARS-CoV-2 antibody persistency in a Tyrolian COVID-19 cohort.
Wien Klin Wochenschr
April 2021
Background: As coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 evolved only recently, the persistency of the anti-viral antibody response remains to be determined.
Methods: We prospectively followed 29 coronavirus disease 2019 cases, mean age 44 ± 13.2 years.
In most cases, multiple sclerosis (MS) patients reduce physical activity with disease progression and many patients are found to be vitamin D deficient. The aim of this study was to explore correlations between daily physical activity in everyday life and 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3 (25(OH)D3) serum levels in mildly disabled patients with an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) ≤ 4. We analyzed serum 25(OH)D3 levels and recorded daily physical activity (activity duration, number of steps, distance, energy expenditure) using an activity tracker for 14-days in 25 women and 15 men.
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- The mGlu7 receptor, a subtype of metabotropic glutamate receptors, is crucial for regulating emotionality and social behaviors, but its role in maternal behavior was previously unknown.
- Research using genetically altered mouse strains demonstrated that mGlu7 is involved in maternal behaviors, showing that knockout mice displayed more nursing behaviors and less aggression compared to normal mice.
- Activation and inhibition of mGlu7 in lactating mice had different effects on maternal behaviors, indicating that this receptor's activity is complex and region-specific within the brain, warranting further studies to understand its exact role.
Validation of an environmentally-friendly and affordable cardboard 9-hole peg test.
Mult Scler Relat Disord
October 2017
Background: In multiple sclerosis (MS) upper limb neurological impairments, are an important driver of disability and handicap. The gold standard for assessing upper limb function is the 9-hole peg test (9HPT). One disadvantage of the current plastic version is its price, which prevents its widespread use as a self-monitoring tool by the MS community.
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