Multiple sclerosis mimics

Other potential adverse responses include malignancy (e.g., lymphoma), liver disease, heart failure, lupuslike disease, irritation around the injection site, and demyelinating disorders that mimic multiple sclerosis.34,70 88 The incidence of these adverse effects, however, seems to be fairly low. For the most part, these drugs provide an acceptable risk-to-benefit ratio for most people with rheumatoid arthritis. Patients should, however, be screened carefully for any risk factors before beginning drug therapy, and should likewise be monitored periodically for any potential adverse reactions to these drugs. 

The medical school definition of multiple sclerosis (MS) is demyelination within the central nervous system that varies in space and time. The term refers to a disorder in which patches of demyelination develop during exacerbations. In the most common forms of MS, exacerbations are separated by varying periods of time in which the disease does not appear to progress. Whether progressive demyelination without clear periods of remission should be considered a form of MS is a matter of definition, about which clinicians specializing in the care of patients with this disorder have argued. Conventional medical nomenclature classifies as distinct entities a number of disorders of myelin that can mimic MS clinically. These include, for instance, the sometimes devastating demyelination localized to the pons or the demyelination that can follow infectious diseases and/or vaccinations. 

Pure polyunsaturated fatty acid amides and their derivatives. These synthcally produced compounds are able to mimic naturally occuring anandamides in the brain and bind the cannabinoid receptor. The compounds exhibit physiological activity and are useful as active ingredients in pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of inflammation, migraines, spasticity activity, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis. 

Finally, attention must be paid to avoiding interpretation pitfalls such as streak artifact (Fig. 3.9), patient tilt (Fig. 3.2b), and stroke mimics - such as multiple sclerosis - that can present with similar signs and symptoms (Fig. 3.10). 

Some of the less damaging helminths (Figure 5.17.1) can be given as treatment for autoimmune diseases. Ingesting worm eggs can result In significant benefit, wherein diseases such as multiple sclerosis or inflammatory bowel disease become substantially arrested. Searches are underway to find how the worms achieve their immunomodulation. Then drugs can be developed to mimic these means. 

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