title: No association between chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency and pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) was hypothesized to play a causative role in multiple sclerosis (MS). The assessment of pediatric-onset MS (POMS) may provide a unique window of opportunity to study hypothesized risk factors in close temporal association with the onset of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Internal jugular veins, vertebral veins and intracranial veins were evaluated with extracranial and intracranial ultrasound in 15 POMS and 16 healthy controls. Assessor's blinding was maintained during the study. We considered subjects positive to CCSVI when at least two criteria were fulfilled.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CCSVI frequency was comparable between POMS and controls (p > 0.05). Clinical features were not significantly different between CCSVI-positive and CCSVI-negative patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings add to previous data pointing against a causative role of CCSVI in MS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Saia
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hakiki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giannini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pastò
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zecchino
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lori
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Portaccio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marinoni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000209:etiology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*