Interferon delays multiple sclerosis
By Nathan Seppa
In some people who show early-warning signs of multiple sclerosis, the drug interferon-beta-1a seems to delay or even prevent the disease from becoming full-blown, researchers report in the Sept. 28 New England Journal of Medicine.
The signs of multiple sclerosis (MS) can include blurry vision, dizziness, loss of coordination, bladder problems, and numbness in the face, lower trunk, or limbs. Not everyone having such symptoms ultimately develops MS. Physicians arrive at a diagnosis of the disease only after a second episode of symptoms, which can come months or years after the first.