Grant: Evidence on Tap - Expedited Knowledge Synthesis

Dr. Zamboni from Italy has recently hypothesized that multiple sclerosis (MS) is caused by an abnormality in the veins draining blood from the brain and spinal cord. This abnormality is called chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI). Dr. Zamboni has also proposed that treating these abnormalities by either dilating the veins with a balloon or inserting a stent improves the symptoms of MS. Although some people with MS have reported improvement in their symptoms after treatment, this new theory about the cause and treatment of MS is very controversial because the quality of the science underlying it is relatively poor and the results have not been replicated by other groups. However, a number of other groups are now conducting studies, the results of which should be available over the next one to two years. The purpose of this study is to identify and summarize all of the scientific reports about CCSVI, to determine how accurately CCSVI can be diagnosed, whether or not it is more common in people with MS than in people who do not have MS, and the benefits and harms of balloon or stent treatment for CCSVI. We will use rigorous scientific methods to grade the quality of the scientific literature about this topic. We will report our initial findings in May 2011, and every 3 months after that for at least one year. We will present our findings to the CIHR expert panel on CCSVI and MS, will publish our results in scientific journals, and will also produce descriptions of our results written for people with MS, the public and health care decision makers.