MS and autonomic (hyper)dysreflexia

[Sue Pendleton]

Ok, question to our MS members from the moderator. Do people with MS suffer from AD? If so is it only in chronic progressive, remitting-relapsing or secondary progressive? Anyone know?

[SCI-Nurse]

Only recently have there been reports in the literature of AD in people with MS (in the last 3 years). It is still considered rare in the MS population compared to SCI though.

The type of MS does not appear to be a factor. More important is the extent and location of the spinal cord MS lesions. You can have extensive spinal cord lesions that are fairly complete in all types of MS except for benign.

Chronic progressive is now called primary progressive.

(KLD)

[Sue Pendleton]

Only recently have there been reports in the literature of AD in people with MS (in the last 3 years). It is still considered rare in the MS population compared to SCI though.

The type of MS does not appear to be a factor. More important is the extent and location of the spinal cord MS lesions. You can have extensive spinal cord lesions that are fairly complete in all types of MS except for benign.

Chronic progressive is now called primary progressive.

(KLD)

Thanks KLD. The person has primary progressive then. Nasty case and family has said she tends to sweat even when she says she's cold. She lives in a fairly warm to hot climate year round so it causes air-conditioning rows. Asking a ton of questions AD is all that made sense to me. Her ability to feel pain is impaired. Her case began with serious cognitive problems and her ability to see was all over the place when she was first diagnosed. She was a nursing student at the time. Now about 20 years later her body has followed suit and the last 3 years or so the sweats started. With the perspiration confined mainly to her forehead I suggested it was time to talk to her neurologist again. This stuff sucks.

[SCI-Nurse]

It is common for people with severe MS to have autonomic dysfunction (different than dysreflexia) which can effect things like orthostatic hypotension, temperature intolerance, inappropriate or no sweating, etc. People with MS are often very heat sensative too, and may become weaker or have more severe MS problems in a hot environment (Uthoff's syndrome).

Can her family check her blood pressure when she has these symptoms? True AD would require an elevated systolic blood pressure of 40 mm. Hg. or more over her baseline.

(KLD)

[Sue Pendleton]

It is common for people with severe MS to have autonomic dysfunction (different than dysreflexia) which can effect things like orthostatic hypotension, temperature intolerance, inappropriate or no sweating, etc. People with MS are often very heat sensative too, and may become weaker or have more severe MS problems in a hot environment (Uthoff's syndrome).

Can her family check her blood pressure when she has these symptoms? True AD would require an elevated systolic blood pressure of 40 mm. Hg. or more over her baseline.

(KLD)

They're well aware of her heat problems. She can walk with moderate assistance on really good days. During the bad weather when the air conditioning died things were pretty bad and that was the first thing that was fixed when they could get through to her. Thankfully her dedicated staff stayed as they said they would. Strength, breathing and mental facilities all went south while the electricity was off.

I'll suggest they monitor her blood pressure and try to tie it to whatever might be going on that day. She has had some seizures and is on meds for that besides the Rebif.

Thanks again!