Positive Health Online

Abstract

FERNANDEZ and COLLEAGUES,  (1)Hospital Universitario Carlos Haya, 29190 Malaga, Spain. oscar.fernandez.sspa@juntadeandalucia.es reviewed information regarding biomarkers in multiple sclerosis.

Background

Multiple sclerosis is the most frequent disabling neurological disease in young adults. Its development includes independent processes of inflammation, demyelination, neurodegeneration, gliosis and repair, which are responsible for the heterogeneity and individual variability in the expression of the disease, its prognosis and response to treatment.

Methodology

As part of personalized medicine, the progress made in the search for new biomarkers has identified promising candidates that may be useful for the early diagnosis of the disease, for detecting prognostic and developmental profiles of the disease, and for monitoring the response to treatment.

Results

Unfortunately, few of them have been validated adequately, which prevents them from being applied in clinical practice. In view of the latest findings, the experts recommend orienting research in another direction, not so much towards the discovery of new molecules or imaging techniques, but instead towards a clinical validation of these markers, with the aim of fostering translational research.

Conclusion

This review offers an update on the information about the biomarkers in multiple sclerosis that have currently been validated and are thus potential candidates, as well as looking at their value in the diagnosis, prognosis, evaluation of the development of the disability caused by the disease and the response to therapy.

References

Fernández Ó(1), Arroyo-González R, Rodríguez-Antigüedad A, García-Merino JA, Comabella M, Villar LM, Izquierdo G, Tintoré M, Oreja-Guevara C, Álvarez-Cermeño  JC, Meca-Lallana JE, Prieto JM, Ramió-Torrentà L, Martínez-Yélamos S, Montalban X. [Biomarkers in multiple sclerosis]. [Article in Spanish] Rev Neurol. 56(7):375-90. Apr 1 2013.