title: Changes in the blood-brain barrier status closely correlate with the rate of disease progression in patients with multiple system atrophy: a longitudinal study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pathomechanisms responsible for disease progression in multiple system atrophy are unknown. The blood-brain barrier status may act as a modifier of disease progression in neurodegenerative diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the 12-month longitudinal change of the blood-brain barrier in 16 multiple system atrophy patients and analyzed its correlation with changes in clinical severity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The baseline blood-brain barrier index did not correlate significantly with change in disease severity. However, changes in the blood-brain barrier indices over 12 months had significant positive correlations with changes in total unified multiple system atrophy rating scale (r = 0.56, p = 0.024) and part II scores (r = 0.56, p = 0.025). These correlation coefficients were higher after adjusting for baseline neurological deficits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that changes in the blood-brain barrier status are closely coupled with the rate of disease progression in multiple system atrophy, potentially acting as a contributor to disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ji E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sook K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Jin Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Mun-Kyung
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Sunwoo
authors.forename: Hyun-Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Young H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Phil Hyu
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019578:Multiple System Atrophy / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins