Normal CSF ferritin levels in MS suggest against etiologic role of chronic venous insufficiency (e-Pub ahead of print).
Worthington, V. PhD; Killestein, J. MD, PhD; Eikelenboom, M.J. MD, PhD; Teunissen, C.E. PhD; Barkhof, F. MD, PhD; Polman, C.H. MD, PhD; Uitdehaag, B.M.J. MD, PhD; Petzold, A. MD, PhD
[Article] Neurology. 75(18):1617-1622, November 2, 2010.

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Objectives: Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) has been suggested to be a possible cause of multiple sclerosis (MS). If the presumed mechanism of venous stasis-related parenchymal iron deposition and neurodegeneration were true, then upregulation of intrathecal iron transport proteins may be expected.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional (n = 1,408) and longitudinal (n = 29) study on CSF ferritin levels in patients with MS and a range of neurologic disorders.

Results: Pathologic (>12 ng/mL) CSF ferritin levels were observed in 4% of the control patients (median 4 ng/mL), 91% of patients with superficial siderosis (75 ng/mL), 73% of patients with a subarachnoid hemorrhage (59 ng/mL), 10% of patients with relapsing-remitting MS (5 ng/mL), 11% of patients with primary progressive MS (6 ng/mL), 23% of patients with secondary progressive MS (5 ng/mL), and 23% of patients with meningoencephalitis (5 ng/mL). In MS, there was no significant change of CSF ferritin levels over the 3-year follow-up period.

Conclusion: These data do not support an etiologic role for CCSVI-related parenchymal iron deposition in MS.

(C)2010 American Academy of Neurology