In this episode, I speak with Anna-Katharina Eser, senior physician at the MS Centre in Mainkofen, Germany, about immunoadsorption in multiple sclerosis. Immunoadsorption is a specialized blood purification procedure that may be used when an acute MS relapse does not improve sufficiently after high-dose corticosteroid treatment.

Anna-Katharina Eser explains how the procedure works, why certain antibodies are filtered from the blood, how long treatment can take and which side effects may occur. She also discusses the difference between immunoadsorption and plasmapheresis, why corticosteroids are usually tried first, and why MS is not a dead end.

This interview was originally published in August 2021 on the German MS-Perspektive podcast and has been translated and adapted for an international audience. Availability, clinical use and reimbursement may vary depending on your country and healthcare system.

Topics covered:

• When immunoadsorption may be used in MS
• How "blood washing" works
• Possible side effects and treatment duration
• Difference between immunoadsorption and plasmapheresis
• Why corticosteroids are usually the first step
• Encouraging perspectives on life with MS

Helpful international resources:

• National Multiple Sclerosis Society: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/
• MS International Federation (MSIF): https://www.msif.org/
• Multiple Sclerosis Society UK: https://www.mssociety.org.uk/
• PubMed search for Anna-Katharina Eser: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Eser+AK&cauthor_id=41994667
• PubMed: Immunoadsorption and multiple sclerosis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Immunoadsorption+%2B+multiple+sclerosis

Is there anything you would like to share with the listeners?

Anna-Katharina Eser: Every person with MS should know that the diagnosis is not a dead end.

I like the spirit of a quote often attributed to Albert Einstein: We all have difficult things to carry, because this is inseparable from life. But one thing helps: to stand together in friendship and help carry one another.

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Many thanks to senior physician Anna-Katharina Eser for this interview and for explaining immunoadsorption in such a clear and encouraging way.

See you soon and try to make the best out of your life, Nele

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