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| Antibiotics 'could help slow MS' | Antibiotics 'could help slow MS' |
| (about 12 hours later) | |
| Adding antibiotics to standard drug therapy may slow down the progress of multiple sclerosis, research suggests. | Adding antibiotics to standard drug therapy may slow down the progress of multiple sclerosis, research suggests. |
| Patients showed fewer symptoms and fewer signs of tissue damage when they took the antibiotic doxycycline alongside the MS drug beta interferon. | |
| Louisiana State University researchers believe the antibiotic may block the action of enzyme that destroy certain cells in the nervous system. | Louisiana State University researchers believe the antibiotic may block the action of enzyme that destroy certain cells in the nervous system. |
| Archives of Neurology reports the study involving 15 patients on its website. | Archives of Neurology reports the study involving 15 patients on its website. |
| However, UK experts warned the study was small, and no comparison was made with patients who did not take doxycycline. | However, UK experts warned the study was small, and no comparison was made with patients who did not take doxycycline. |
| Antibiotics are cheap and easily available, which would make them an attractive treatment for MS if they were shown to be beneficial Dr Laura BellMS Society | Antibiotics are cheap and easily available, which would make them an attractive treatment for MS if they were shown to be beneficial Dr Laura BellMS Society |
| The 15 patients who took part in the study all had relapsing-remitting MS - the most common form of the disease. | The 15 patients who took part in the study all had relapsing-remitting MS - the most common form of the disease. |
| Typically, this causes attacks of symptoms such as muscle weakness and spasms, followed by periods of remission. | Typically, this causes attacks of symptoms such as muscle weakness and spasms, followed by periods of remission. |
| The attacks result from damage inflicted on the body by its own immune system, which turns in on itself, attacking the nervous tissue. | The attacks result from damage inflicted on the body by its own immune system, which turns in on itself, attacking the nervous tissue. |
| It is thought that these attacks may be triggered by an inappropriate response to viral or bacterial infections, or another potentially disease-causing agent. | It is thought that these attacks may be triggered by an inappropriate response to viral or bacterial infections, or another potentially disease-causing agent. |
| They are certainly very unpredictable, and symptoms come and go, often seemingly randomly. | They are certainly very unpredictable, and symptoms come and go, often seemingly randomly. |
| Many patients with relapsing-remitting MS take the drug interferon, which helps to suppress the immune system, and keep it working more normally. | Many patients with relapsing-remitting MS take the drug interferon, which helps to suppress the immune system, and keep it working more normally. |
| However, they are still prone to attacks which cause damage to the tissue of the brain. | However, they are still prone to attacks which cause damage to the tissue of the brain. |
| Brain scans | Brain scans |
| The study focused on patients who had been taking interferon for at least six months, and who were still experiencing symptoms, and developing new tissue damage in the brain. | The study focused on patients who had been taking interferon for at least six months, and who were still experiencing symptoms, and developing new tissue damage in the brain. |
| For four months the patients took 100mg a day of doxycycline alongside their regular dose of interferon. | For four months the patients took 100mg a day of doxycycline alongside their regular dose of interferon. |
| At the end of this period brain scans revealed that brain tissue damage was reduced by at least 25% in nine of the patients. | At the end of this period brain scans revealed that brain tissue damage was reduced by at least 25% in nine of the patients. |
| There were also signs that disability levels had improved. | There were also signs that disability levels had improved. |
| The researchers believe that doxycycline, a member of the tetracycline family of antibiotics, may block an enzyme which destroys nerve cells, thus protecting the brain and increasing the effectiveness of the immune system. | The researchers believe that doxycycline, a member of the tetracycline family of antibiotics, may block an enzyme which destroys nerve cells, thus protecting the brain and increasing the effectiveness of the immune system. |
| Dr Laura Bell, of the MS Society, said: "Antibiotics are cheap and easily available, which would make them an attractive treatment for MS if they were shown to be beneficial. | Dr Laura Bell, of the MS Society, said: "Antibiotics are cheap and easily available, which would make them an attractive treatment for MS if they were shown to be beneficial. |
| "However this study is very early stage in only 15 people with MS and no firm conclusions can be drawn at this stage." | "However this study is very early stage in only 15 people with MS and no firm conclusions can be drawn at this stage." |
| Chris Jones, chief executive of the MS Trust, agreed that the study was small, and had only covered a short period of time. | Chris Jones, chief executive of the MS Trust, agreed that the study was small, and had only covered a short period of time. |
| "A longer trial with more people will be needed before we can properly gauge the value of this combination for people with MS." | "A longer trial with more people will be needed before we can properly gauge the value of this combination for people with MS." |
| Helen Yates, of the MS Resource Centre, said the condition was complex and difficult. | Helen Yates, of the MS Resource Centre, said the condition was complex and difficult. |
| She said other work was examining the possibility that MS was linked to an infection of the bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae - more commonly associated with respiratory disease - in the brain. | She said other work was examining the possibility that MS was linked to an infection of the bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae - more commonly associated with respiratory disease - in the brain. |
| "The growing interest in combination therapies is producing some good results, in particular for those people for whom single therapies have not worked." | "The growing interest in combination therapies is producing some good results, in particular for those people for whom single therapies have not worked." |