First the B cells fall, then the T cells follow: temporal immunological shift with ocrelizumab in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Ocrelizumab (OCR) is a humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody approved for multiple sclerosis (MS). While its efficacy has been attributed to early and sustained B cell depletion, emerging evidence suggests a broader immunomodulatory profile.

Objectives: To investigate temporal dynamics of OCR-induced immune modulation in MS by analyzing pathway enrichment score changes in transcriptomic data from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) at early (2 weeks) and late (6 months) timepoints following treatment initiation.

Digital Health in Diabetes Care: A Narrative Review from Monitoring to the Management of Systemic and Neurologic Complications.

: Despite the recent advances in glucose-lowering therapy, achieving diabetes control remains challenging. With the advancing progress of innovative digital health technologies, management of diabetes is taking advantage from telehealth and telemedicine, which allow for remote assistance, virtual visits, and monitoring of diabetes-related parameters, and facilitate the exchange of documents and reports to support clinical decisions. We aim to provide an overview of the impact of telehealth and digital technologies on the care of people with diabetes, from therapeutic management to the assessment of complications.

Clinical Efficacy of Selumetinib in Alleviating Neuropathic Pain Associated with Plexiform Neurofibroma: A Case Series.

: Selumetinib, an MEK inhibitor, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in April 2020 and became reimbursable in Italy in January 2020, for treating patients aged ≥3 years with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) complicated by symptomatic, inoperable plexiform neurofibromas (PNs).

Role of Ocrelizumab in modulating gene and microRNA expression in multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune neurodegenerative disease and one of the most significant challenges in modern neurology, impacting approximately 2.8 million people globally. As a multifactorial condition, susceptibility to MS can result from a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Safety assessment of switching from fingolimod to siponimod: An Italian multicenter prospective study.

Introduction: Safety concerns have been raised regarding fingolimod to siponimod transition in people with Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS).

Objective: To explore factors associated with the choice of switching from fingolimod to siponimod and the safety of this sequencing.

Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study that included patients who had a confirmed diagnosis of SPMS at the time of study entry and had been treated with fingolimod for at least two years.

Behind the scenes: exploring neurological journal editors' work habits, decisions, and potential sources of conflict of interest.

Background And Objectives: Editors of scientific journals play a key role in the health-related research process. Our study aims to characterize the demographics, work habits, decision-making processes, and ethical challenges faced by editors of neurological journals and to evaluate associations between editor or journal characteristics and editorial decisions, as well as sources of conflict of interest.

Methods: Cross-sectional study involving editors from neurological journals that fell above the 50th percentile in the Scimago rankings.

Technological interventions in European dementia care: a systematic review of acceptance and attitudes among people living with dementia, caregivers, and healthcare workers.

Background: Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative forms of dementia affect 8 million Europeans. Assistive technologies are suggested to reduce the burden of care and improve the quality of life of person living with dementia. Nonetheless, the acceptance and attitudes toward technological interventions pose challenges not only for people living with dementia and caregivers but also for healthcare workers.

Dermatological Neoplastic Diseases Complicating Treatment with Monoclonal Antibodies for Multiple Sclerosis.

Over the past 20 years, the treatment scenario of multiple sclerosis (MS) has radically changed, and an ever-increasing number of disease-modifying treatments has emerged. Among high-efficacy treatment agents, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have become a mainstay in a MS patient's treatment due to their targeted mechanism, high efficacy, and favorable risk profile. The latter varies from drug to drug and a skin cancer warning has emerged with sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor inhibitors.

A Review on the Feasibility and Efficacy of Home-Based Cognitive Remediation in People with Multiple Sclerosis.

Cognitive impairment affects 34-65% of People with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS), significantly impacting their quality of life. Clinicians routinely address cognitive deficits with in-clinic neuro-behavioural interventions, but accessibility issues exist. Given these challenges, coupled with the lifelong need for continuous assistance in PwMS, researchers have underscored the advantageous role of telerehabilitation in addressing these requirements.

Identifying definite patterns of unmet needs in patients with multiple sclerosis using unsupervised machine learning.

Introduction: People with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) exhibit a spectrum of needs that extend beyond solely disease-related determinants. Investigating unmet needs from the patient perspective may address daily difficulties and optimize care. Our aim was to identify patterns of unmet needs among PwMS and their determinants.

Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Does Not Influence Spinal Excitability in Multiple Sclerosis Patients.

(1) : Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has beneficial effects on physical functions in Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. However, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying these functional improvements are still unclear. This study aims at comparing acute responses in spinal excitability, as measured by soleus Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex), between MS patients and healthy individuals, under three experimental conditions involving the ankle planta flexor muscles: (1) passive NMES (pNMES); (2) NMES superimposed onto isometric voluntary contraction (NMES+); and (3) isometric voluntary contraction (ISO).

Validation of the swallowing disturbance questionnaire in people with multiple sclerosis.

Background: The DYSPHAGIA IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (DYMUS) questionnaire is the only specific tool developed to screen for dysphagia in people with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS). However, some limitations of DYMUS could potentially be addressed by the SWALLOWING DISTURBANCE QUESTIONNAIRE (SDQ), which has not yet been validated in pwMS. The objective of this study was to translate and validate the SDQ into the Italian language for use in pwMS to detect swallowing disturbances.

Apparently isolated CNS involvement in Erdheim-Chester disease: Case report.

We present the case of a 48-year-old-woman with apparently isolated central nervous system Erdheim-Chester disease characterized by brainstem involvement. Erdheim-Chester disease is extremely rare and multisystem impairment should always be sought in the suspicion of such pathology.

Multiple Sclerosis: Diagnosis, Management, and Future Opportunities.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common inflammatory neurological diseases which leads to a highly heterogeneous set of symptoms and signs due to the differential involvement of the motor, sensory, visual, and autonomic systems [...

Cost-Analysis of Telemedicine Interventions Compared with Traditional Care in the Management of Chronic Neurological Diseases: A Systematic Review.

Telemedicine has proven successful in relieving the burden of chronic neurological disorders from the national health care systems by ensuring a highly customized and effective management plan. Although many studies focus on assessing telemedicine effectiveness, little is known about the economic implications of telemedicine applications in chronic neurological diseases (CNDs). This issue could account for a lack of widespread implementation.

Viral pericarditis following ocrelizumab in a multiple sclerosis patient.

Ocrelizumab is a humanized monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody, approved for the treatment of relapsing and primary-progressive multiple sclerosis. We reported a case of pericarditis in an RRMS patient treated with ocrelizumab, who presented with chest pain, high body temperature and laboratory findings of systemic inflammation, with a favorable clinical outcome.

Immunomodulatory effects of ocrelizumab and candidate biomarkers for monitoring treatment response in multiple sclerosis.

Ocrelizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody designed to bind to the CD20 molecule, resulting in a rapid depletion of B-cells; however, it has been shown that lymphocyte subpopulations other than B-cells are affected by the drug. To review the effects of ocrelizumab on circulating lymphocytes and identify candidate biomarkers to predict and monitor treatment response. A literature search for the most relevant articles from 2006 to 2022 was conducted in PubMed and Scopus.

Disease Reactivation in Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Patients Switching from Fingolimod to Siponimod: A Case Series.

Siponimod, a selective modulator of sphingosine 1-phosphate receptors 1 (S1P1) and 5 (S1P5), has recently been marketed for patients with Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS). Herein, we report three SPMS patients presenting disease reactivation in the first three months after switching from fingolimod to siponimod. Fingolimod binds to S1P1, S1P3, S1P4 and S1P5 receptors.

Optimal retreatment schedule of rituximab for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: A systematic review.

Introduction: Several studies have shown the efficacy of rituximab (RTX) in preventing relapses in patients suffering from Neuromyelitis Optica spectrum disorder (NMSOD) and have explored different therapeutic schemes. Given the extreme inter-individual variability of the disease course, there is the need to identify biomarkers to tailor the retreatment schedule and dosage. This review aimed to identify the most useful biomarker to guide reinfusion and, in turn, the optimal retreatment schedule of RTX for NMSOD.

Predictors of Cladribine Effectiveness and Safety in Multiple Sclerosis: A Real-World, Multicenter, 2-Year Follow-Up Study.

Introduction: Cladribine administration has been approved for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2017; thus, data on cladribine in a real-world setting are still emerging.

Methods: We report on cladribine effectiveness, safety profile, and treatment response predictors in 243 patients with MS followed at eight tertiary MS centers. Study outcomes were: (1) No Evidence of Disease Activity-3 (NEDA-3) status and its components (absence of clinical relapses, MRI activity, and sustained disability worsening); (2) development of grade III/IV lymphopenia.

Lymphopenia in Multiple Sclerosis patients treated with Ocrelizumab is associated with an effect on CD8 T cells.

Background: In the phase III, OPERA I and OPERA II, clinical trial lymphopenia was reported in 20.7% of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients taking Ocrelizumab (OCR).

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of OCR on lymphocyte subtypes in MS patients with and without lymphopenia.