title: Occurrence of CCSVI in patients with MS and its relationship with iron metabolism and varicose veins.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A new treatable venous disorder, chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI), has been proposed in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Its relationship with iron metabolism is suggested, but has not been examined prospectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed extra- and transcranial echo colour Doppler (ECD) in 90 patients with MS and 41 healthy controls (HC). Indices of iron metabolism and the presence of peripheral signs of impaired venous flow were also examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ECD examination showed CCSVI in 8 (9%) of the 90 patients with MS and 0 HC (P = 0.11). The 8 CCSVI-positive MS patients were older (P = 0.02), had less often relapsing-remitting-MS (P = 0.02) and had more neurological disability assessed by expanded disability status scale (EDSS, P = 0.001) and longer duration of disease (P = 0.02) in comparison with the 82 CCSVI-negative MS patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that EDSS remained an independent factor associated with CCSVI (odds ratio 1.89, 95%CI 1.17-3.05, P-value = 0.009). CCSVI MS patients more often had bilateral telangiectasia at the legs (P = 0.008), reticular veins (P = 0.006) and venous stasis dermatitis (P = 0.004). No relationship was found between CCSVI and impaired iron metabolism in patients with MS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CCSVI is uncommon and is a secondary epiphenomenon in MS and related to more neurological disability and the presence of varicose veins at the legs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, St Elisabeth Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Van den Berg
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, St Elisabeth Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Van den Berg
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, St Elisabeth Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Westerhuis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, St Elisabeth Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Visser
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D007501:Iron