Effects of Body Temperature Lowering on Visual Evoked Potentials in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Autor: Turan Poyraz, Fethi İdiman, Ahmet Onur Keskin, Leyla İyilikçi Karaoğlan, Egemen İdiman
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: Türk Nöroloji Dergisi, Vol 27, Iss 1, Pp 34-40 (2021)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1309-2545
DOI: 10.4274/tnd.2020.25589
Popis: Objective: Aggravation of neurologic symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) due to heating is well known. This phenomenon, known as Uhthoff phenomenon (UP), is explained by transient conduction block in demyelinated nerve fibers and transected axons. The threshold of conduction block dependent on temperature is probably proportional to the degree of demyelination or axonal injury. On the other hand, about half of all patients reported improvement in a cold bath (anti-UP effect). This study aimed to assess the effects of body cooling on clinical parameters [neuro-opthalmologic examination and contrast sensitivity in visual acuity/Sloan letter test, and the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)] and electrophysiologic measurements [visual evoked potentials (VEP)] in patients with MS previously clinically affected by optic neuritis. Materials and Methods: Twenty patients who described a UP or anti-UP effect with definite MS according to the McDonald and Poser criteria were enrolled in the study. Before the cooling process, all patients with a history of optic neuritis (at least once) were examined clinically, neurologically and neuro-ophthalmologically, and electrophysiologically. Body cooling was achieved using a “Medivance Arctic Sun Temperature Management System” and the body temperature was decreased by about 1 °C. After that, all patients were re-evaluated clinically and electrophysiologically. Results: After the cooling process, P100 latency significantly shortened at the 1st, 6th and 24th hours (p
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