my community channel

A controversial theory touting multiple sclerosis as a vascular disease is a "step in the right direction" but not a panacea, says a McMaster University professor.

Dr. Mark Haacke, director of the imaging division in the school of biomedical engineering at Mac, says it would not be a good idea for people to call the theory by Dr. Paolo Zamboni a cure for the disease.

"I think the key here is that these people who've had the disease, it may take a long time for the problems in the brain to clear up," said Haacke, who is also a professor at Wayne State University.

"They may still require the conventional treatments that they're getting now."

Zamboni has proposed that multiple sclerosis (MS) is a vascular disease that can be treated, rather than an auto-immune disorder with few treatment options.

His theory is called chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency.

He was in Hamilton yesterday for a scientific workshop at St. Joseph's Healthcare's Charlton Avenue site.

About 200 people, a mix of professionals, doctors, scientists, and people who suffer from MS attended.

The workshop was a closed event.

"I think it went very well," said Kevin Smith, CEO of St. Joseph's Healthcare.

"Obviously this was an opportunity for the scientific community to come together and chat with Professor Zamboni about his observations and others who've been involved in replicating his observations."

In addition to Zamboni, those in attendance say information from others doing similar work around the globe was presented.

Dr. Ian Rodger, vice-president of research at St. Joe's, said the workshop heard "undeniably" that there are patients who have had the medical procedure that is done based on his theory (it unclogs veins to the brain and improves blood flow) who quickly had relief from some MS symptoms such as fatigue and buzzing in their ears.

"What we don't know is how long does it last? ... No one's been following it long enough. But I think at the end of it all, (it's) highly encouraging that the data is steadily coming out."

Rodger also said Zamboni has not presented something "mind-shattering" as talk about problems with blood vessels in the brain leading to MS was around 100 years ago.

Smith said the MS Society of Canada has now put out a call for proposals to research the subject further.

St. Joe's and McMaster will be involved in bidding for the chance to conduct the study, he said.

St. Joe's has currently done some imaging work around the theory and was swamped with 22,000 request from MS patients wanting to take part.

Source: Thespec.com © Copyright Metroland 2010 (08/02/10)