EARLY DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSTICS AND PROLONGED IMMUNOMODULATORY THERAPY OF CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY DEMYELINATING DISEASES OF CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

Inflammatory demyelinating diseases in children and adolescents are sufficient problem of modern medicine. Its topicality is conditioned by as traditionally high prevalence of acute demyelinating conditions (acute disseminated encephalomyelitis) as increase of morbidity with chronic demyelinating forms of pathology (disseminated sclerosis) in children. The absence of clear diagnostic algorithm presents difficulties for the determination of tactics of treatment and prognosis on early stages of their development, e.g. at the time of maximal effectiveness of immunomodulatory medications. Besides, the list of medications for the prolonged immunomodulatory treatment of demyelinating diseases, registered in Russia, includes such drugs as interferon beta 1a for the subcutaneous injection, officially annotated for the use from 12-year old age.Key words: children, inflammatory demyelinating diseases, diagnostics, treatment.(Voprosy sovremennoi pediatrii — Current Pediatrics. 2009;8(6):139-145)