title: Serial evoked potentials in multiple sclerosis bouts. Relation to steroid treatment.
abstract: Serial recordings of multimodal sensory (visual, acoustic and somatosensory) evoked potentials were made in 19 relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis patients enrolled in a clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of dexamethasone versus high- and low-dose methylprednisolone in acute multiple sclerosis bouts. Electrophysiological and clinical evaluations were performed at the onset of therapy and until 6 months after the end of treatment. Using an arbitrary Evoked Potentials score that takes into account both latency and waveform alterations, we found a positive correlation between evoked potentials and clinical disability scores. Furthermore, different electrophysiological profiles were detected in the three therapeutic subgroups. Evoked potentials may be useful for monitoring acute Multiple Sclerosis bouts and evaluating the effect of therapy.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Neurologia, Istituto Neurologico C. Besta di Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: La Mantia
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Riti
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Milanese
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salmaggi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eoli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ciano
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Avanzini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000502:physiology*; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone; D008775:Methylprednisolone