MINIM
Research type
Research Study
Full title
MeasurIng chaNge In Multiple Systems Atrophy (MINIM study)
IRAS ID
301386
Contact name
Nigel Hoggard
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
MSA-C is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects individuals in their 50’s. The diagnosis is usually made based on a combination of clinical features and brain imaging findings. Brain scans show not just shrinkage of the balance centre (cerebellum) but also the base of the brain (brainstem) which is what causes premature death. Immune mediated ataxia (IMA) is ataxia due to overactivity of one’s immune system. Both MSA-C and immune ataxias tend to progress rapidly and can often be a diagnostic puzzle at presentation.
We plan to undertake 2 separate work streams.
• (1) Retrospective study: we wish to describe the clinical and imaging natural history of MSA-C and IMA in our large cohort of patients from existing clinical records and scans. This has never been done in such detail before.
• (2) Pilot PET MR study: Patients with MSA-C can have severely abnormal brain biochemistry on MR spectroscopy (imaging technique used in our ataxia centre for >10 yrs) before shrinkage of the base of the brain occurs. This implies that pathophysiological changes in the brain of a patient with MSA can be detected well before brain tissue is lost. We are speculating that PET-MRI scans will detect such changes early in the disease process at a time when future treatments may be most effective. We are therefore hoping that this imaging technique may be able to help distinguish between the 2 types of ataxia in the future. This study is looking to see if it is feasible for people with MSA-C or IMA to undergo a PET-MRI scan.
Due to WP1 using pseudonymised data collected by the clinical team, no patients will be formally recruited onto the study and no consent will be sought. Therefore please note that the IRAS form relates to WP2 unless stated otherwise.
REC name
West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/WM/0226
Date of REC Opinion
18 Oct 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion