Simple blood test that could revolutionize care for multiple sclerosis patients and prevent disability

Research shows that a simple blood test could revolutionize care for patients with multiple sclerosis and prevent disability.

The research shows that markers in the blood can predict how the disease will develop and which drugs will be effective.

MS is a debilitating disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, leaving people with mobility problems, memory loss and fatigue.

There are two main types of MS: relapsing remitting, where symptoms flare up and subside over periods of time, and primary progressive MS, where there are no periods of remission and symptoms steadily worsen, becoming disabling.

Many patients with relapsing-remitting MS develop the primary progressive form.

The research shows that markers in the blood can predict how the disease will develop and which drugs will be effective. (Stock photo)

MS is a debilitating disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, leaving people with mobility problems, memory loss and fatigue. (Stock photo)

The findings could benefit the 130,000 people living with MS in the UK, and the almost 7,000 people who are newly diagnosed each year. (Stock photo)

There is no cure, but some treatments can slow progression and relieve symptoms. So offering the right medication at the right time is essential to keeping patients healthy for as long as possible. Researchers found that patients with high levels of a protein that signals nerve damage were 45 percent more likely to have relapses. They showed significant benefits from more specialized medications.

The findings, presented this week in Copenhagen at the congress of the European Committee for the Treatment and Research of Multiple Sclerosis, could benefit the 130,000 people in the UK who have MS and the almost 7,000 people who are newly diagnosed each year.

“The results of this study highlight the urgent need for personalized treatment approaches,” said Dr. Enric Monreal, an MS specialist in Madrid and author of the study.

‘By measuring levels at the onset of the disease, we gain valuable insights into the progression pathways of MS, allowing clinicians to identify the optimal patients for specific medications. This approach aims to avoid unnecessary treatment-related risks.’