title: The fluctuating natural course of CCSVI in MS patients and controls, a prospective follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A new treatable venous disorder, chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI), has been proposed in patients with multiple sclerosis. The natural course of CCSVI has not been examined yet. This is crucial given the fact that surgical procedures are increasingly offered to MS patients to treat venous stenosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  To document the natural course of venous haemodynamics we performed extra- and transcranial echo colour Doppler (ECD) in 52 multiple sclerosis patients and 28 healthy controls (HC) and re-examined this group after a median period of 16 weeks. The reexamination was done being blinded to the initial findings and the patients did not undergo any intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ECD examination at baseline showed CCSVI in 5 (9.6%) of the 52 multiple sclerosis patients and 0 HC (P = 0.26). At follow-up the diagnosis CCSVI could not be reconfirmed in 3 out of 5 patients at follow-up, while 2 new CCSVI-positive multiple sclerosis patients were detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ECD examination shows a fluctuating natural course of the extracranial venous haemodynamics, which makes determination of CCSVI by ECD examination unreliable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, St. Elisabeth Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Petronella J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Van den Berg
authors.forename: Leo H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Visser
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply*; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*