1%) healthy subjects which failed to show any significant difference (P = 0.145). Of 84 MS cases, only 3 (3.6%) were found MG-132 in vivo with an increase in the diameter of IJVs in the sitting position which was not significantly different with the reported frequency percentage of 2.6% among the reference controls (P = 0.695). Although the total number of MS patients with any detectable CCSVI criterion was significantly higher than the controls (22.6% vs. 10.4%, P = 0.019), only one out of 84 patients fulfilled the Zamboni’s criteria for CCSVI with at least two mentioned criteria (1.2% vs. none, P = 0.422). More detailed analysis

was performed to assess any probable relationship between MS characteristics and CCSVI criteria in patients group. Mean EDSS score and disease duration of the cases with at least one CCSVI criteria was higher than MS patients without any abnormal TCCD findings (EDSS: 4.72 ± 2.72 vs. 3.67 ± 2.73; disease duration: 10.81 ± 9.07 vs. 8.33 ± 8.38 yr). Nevertheless, these differences were not statistically selleck significant (P = 0.168 and 0.269, respectively). Motor dysfunction (75% vs. 63.3%, P = 0.546), sensory dysfunction (93.85 vs. 74%, P = 0.159), pain (43.8 vs. 36.7%, P = 0.617) and balance disturbance

(81.3% vs. 59.2%, P = 0.139) were all reported to be more frequent in patients with any CCSVI criterion. However, these differences were not statistically significant. Zamboni, first reported reflux from the chest into the IJV using duplex scan during valsalva maneuver in MS patients [2] and based on previous reports about the relationship between dilated cerebral veins and inflammatory MS lesions [12] and [13], he presented the hypothesis that there may be a role for the venous system, following iron deposition in the pathogenesis of MS. Until now many studies have been performed on the subject with conflicting Selleckchem Alectinib results. The most prominent finding in our study was that our results do not support the presence of a relationship between MS and CCSVI criteria defined by Zamboni [3]. Only one MS patient fulfilled

the Zamboni’s definition for CCSVI. Statistically significant difference between the 2 groups was found in only one criterion (reflux in the IJV). Although, the total number of MS patients with any detectable CCSVI criterion was significantly higher than the controls. Doepp and colleagues also did not find a difference between the 2 groups based on the criteria but in 2 other venous indices [4]. We also detected the blood flow using Doppler in all of the MS patients with a direction toward the heart. Although the mean changes of BFV of the bilateral IJVs after altering the position from supine to sitting was lower in patients’ group, which means that the increase in velocity was smaller in MS patients, but this difference was not statistically significant.