Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency in patients with multiple sclerosis: A case-control study from Iran

SummaryIntroductionChronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) is a newly suggested cause for multiple sclerosis (MS) detected by color-coded Doppler sonography. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between CCSVI and MS compared to the control group.MethodsThe study was performed on 84 MS patients and 115 healthy subjects. The presence of at least two of the extra- and/or intra-cranial Zamboni's criteria was considered positive for evidence of CCSVI.ResultsAlthough 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 (1.2% vs. none, P = 0.422).ConclusionOur results do not support the presence of a relationship between MS and CCSVI criteria defined by Zamboni.