May symptoms of chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency be improved by venous angioplasty? An independent 4-year follow up on 366 cases
Abstract
The aim of the study was to collect results from 366 chronic cerebrospinal venous insuffi- ciency (CCSVI) affected patients that were regularly Duplex controlled after having received vein angioplasty following diagnosis for CCSVI. The procedures were all performed in the same Centre and same equipment. The patients were divided into three groups accord- ing to the attributed severity of the associated multiple sclerosis: 264 relapse-remitting (RR) (72%): 179 females (67.8%) and 85 (32.2%) males; 62 secondary progressive (17%): 37 (59.7%) females and 25 (40.3%) males; 40 pri- mary progressive (11%): 22 (55%) females and 18 (45%) males. A data base revealed eleven most frequent disturbs and symptoms, togeth- er with working capacities, and was kept up-to- date at every Duplex control aiming to estab- lish a novel rapid CCSVI symptoms question- naire assessment in 4 years follow up. The symptoms were: diplopia, fatigue, headache, upper limb numbness/mobility, lower limb numbness/mobility, thermic sensibility, blad- der control, balance coordination, quality of sleep, vertigo, mind concentration.
Results, as follows, appear to be significant- ly good in the RR group, also the biggest one. Diplopia improved in 262/264 patients (99.2%) (P<0.0001); fatigue in 260/264 (98.5%) (P<0.0001); headache in 205/208 (98.6%) (P<0.0001); balance coordination in 23/26 (88.5%) (P<0.0001); quality of sleep in 55/59 (93.2%) (P<0.0001); vertigo in 30/33 (90.9%) (P<0.0001); mind concentration in 142/144 (98.6%) (P<0.0001). Other results regarded: upper limb numbness and mobility in 20/24 (83.3%) (P=0.0002); lower limb numbness and mobility 13/15 (86.7%) (P=0.0087); thermic sensibility 3/4 (75%) [P: not significant (n.s.)]; bladder control 2/3 (66.6%) (P: n.s.).
In contrast in the progressive cases results are quite different where, nevertheless, some useful considerations were collected and sta- tistically significant, too. In addition, venous angioplasty appears to
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be safe, side effects were observed only in seven patients (0.19%) that grew a monolater- al Jugular thrombosis but still were regularly controlled and above all did not suffer worsen- ing of the disease.
Finally, the overwhelming percutaneous transluminal angioplasty results in the RR group lead to say that the correct criteria should be the sooner the better.
The perfect drainage