title: Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency is unlikely to be a direct trigger of multiple sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, a vascular pathology affecting the veins draining the central nervous system can accompany multiple sclerosis and is suspected to be involved in its pathogenesis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was aimed at exploring a potential role for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency in triggering multiple sclerosis. If it were venous abnormalities responsible for neurological pathology, one should expect negative correlation, i.e. more severe vascular lesions in the patients with early onset of multiple sclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Localization and degree of venous blockages in 350 multiple sclerosis patients were assessed using catheter venography. Statistical analysis comprised evaluation of the correlations between severity of venous lesions and patients' age at onset of the disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found weak, yet statistically significant positive correlations between patients' age at onset of multiple sclerosis and accumulated and maximal scores of venous lesions. The patients, also those with duration of multiple sclerosis not longer than 5 years, who had their first attack of the disease at younger age, presented with less severe vascular lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Positive correlation suggests that venous lesions are not directly triggering multiple sclerosis. There should be another factor that initiates pathological processes in the central nervous system.
authors: Department of Vascular Surgery, EuroMedic Medical, ul. Kościuszki 92 40-519 Katowice, Poland. Electronic address: mariansimka@poczta.onet.pl.
authors: Marian
authors: M
authors: Simka
authors: Department of Vascular Surgery, EuroMedic Medical, ul. Kościuszki 92 40-519 Katowice, Poland.
authors: Tomasz
authors: T
authors: Ludyga
authors: Department of Cardiology, EuroMedic Medical, ul. Kościuszki 92 43-245 Katowice, Poland.
authors: Paweł
authors: P
authors: Latacz
authors: Department of Vascular Surgery, EuroMedic Medical, ul. Kościuszki 92 40-519 Katowice, Poland.
authors: Marek
authors: M
authors: Kazibudzki
authors: Department of Vascular Surgery, EuroMedic Medical, ul. Kościuszki 92 40-519 Katowice, Poland.
authors: Eugeniusz
authors: E
authors: Majewski
authors: Department of Vascular Surgery, EuroMedic Medical, ul. Kościuszki 92 40-519 Katowice, Poland.
authors: Maciej
authors: M
authors: Zaniewski
keywords: Azygous vein; Jugular veins; Multiple sclerosis; Phlebography; Venous insufficiency; Venous malformation