Dear Readers,

it is with pleasure that we present to you the new issue of “MS Report”. This time, the subject matter discussed in our papers reflects the areas of focus explored during this year’s ECTRIMS conference.

We are happy to be one of the first ones to present a review of the proposed amendment of the McDonald criteria for MS diagnosis. Przemysław Puz, MD, PhD, from the Department and Clinic of Neurology, Silesian Medical University, together with Karolina Wychowaniec, MD, from the Department of Neurology, Upper Silesian Medical Center in Katowice, prepared a highly practical summary, indicating some of the important aspects worth paying attention to in daily clinical practice. The new proposed criteria are expected to facilitate diagnosis, especially in those individuals in whom the diagnosis of MS was previously impossible.

Further references to ECTRIMS 2024 are found in a paper authored by Marek Hałas, MD, representing the Clinic of Adult Neurology, University Clinical Center in Gdansk. He offers an extremely interesting clinical review of the disease phenotypes. The more recent classifications take into account the clinical and radiological elements to a greater extent, and place an ever greater emphasis on neuropsychological examinations, and on an increasing number of biomarkers. Perhaps, in the future, such an approach will make it possible to predict the course of disease more accurately, and to offer personalized treatment to patients.

The topic of Epstein–Barr virus infection resurfaces in the context of the risk of MS development. Ewelina Kuczko-Piekarska, MD, PhD, explores the issue specially for the Readers of our journal. The author represents the Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Clinic of the 10th Military Hospital with Polyclinic in Bydgoszcz. She describes the EBV infection, including the role of mononucleosis, and addresses the infection as a trigger factor for MS, taking into consideration genetic and environmental factors as well, and – importantly – indicating the prospects related to the EBV infection prevention and its potential impact on a reduction in the risk of MS.

The last paper, written by Natasza Blek, MD, PhD, from the Maria Skłodowska-Curie Medical College in Warsaw and the NEUROSPHERA Center for Neurology, Epilepsy and Psychiatry, is dedicated to the topic of pharmacotherapy in the inhibition of progression independent of relapse activity. As there has been rapid progress with respect to the new medications prescribed in multiple sclerosis, new therapeutic options are opening up, including the difficult-to-treat progression independent of disease activity.

Even though treatment possibilities remain limited, the ongoing research is a source of hope that we are getting ever closer to effective therapy in that respect. We hope that the proposed topics will inspire your interest and meet with a warm reception.

Signed,

prof. Dagmara Mirowska-Guzel, MD, PhD
Agnieszka Piechal, MD, PhD