European Multiple System Atrophy (EMSA-SG) Study Group Program

[Guest guest]

This item was included in the October MSA News but omitted 6 of the

included countries. The correction is below. Thanks to Cannon

in the UK for pointing out the error.

Regards,

Pam

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European Multiple System Atrophy (EMSA-SG) Study Group Program

http://www.movementdisorders.org/pdf/MovingAlong_summer_02.pdf

European Multiple System Atrophy (EMSA-SG) Study Group Program

-- Gregor K. Wenning, MD, PhD, Universitats Klinik fur Neurogie,

Innsbruck, Austria

Recognizing a growing need for therapeutic intervention in MSA, the

EMSA-SG was formed in 1999 by 20 research groups in eleven European

countries (Germany, Austria, France, United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain,

Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Slovenia and Israel). EMSA-SG is

coordinated by Werner Poewe and Gregor Wenning at the University of

Innsbruck. In March 2001, EMSA-SG received EC support for a three-

year project with the 5th framework program. The project aims to

establish a European MSA Registry (EMSA-R), a unified MSA rating

scale (UMSARS) as well as a " Core Assessment Program for

Interventional Therapy " (CAPIT) in MSA (CAPIT-MSA). CAPIT-MSA

will be designed similar to previous EC sponsored concerted efforts

in Parkinson's disease (CAPIT-PD, Defer 1999) and Huntington's

Disease (CAPIT-HD, Quinn 1996). CAPIT-MSA will comprise a

novel set of EMSA-SG diagnostic criteria, a novel Unified Rating

Scale (UMSARS) and additional investigations including autonomic

function and urodynamic tests as well as structural and functional

brain imaging. Task forces have been set up to promote development

of the CAPIT components. The CAPIT-MSA trial protocol will be

designed and validated through the first ever prospective natural

history study of European patients. During the natural history study,

EMSA-SG will facilitate future research into ecogenetics and

molecular pathology of MSA by virtue of decentralized DNA and brain

tissue banking led by Gasser and Lees.

These activities will hopefully lead to clinical trial activity

within the next few years. A phase II growth hormone intervention

trial has already been launched in four EMSA-SG sites. EMSA-SG

has established close ties with the Northern American MSA Study

Group (NAMSA-SG) chaired by Cliff Shults, San Diego, CA,

USA, who are presently waiting for NIH approval of their work

program, which includes a natural history study. Although

financial support can only be offered to official EC partners,

EMSA-SG welcomes new affiliates in the Study Group who

will be regularly updated on the work program and upcoming

meetings. A homepage has been set up for all those wishing to

contact the Study Group (www.emsa-sg.org/).