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Multiple Sclerosis
A trusted source of multiple sclerosis lab services for you and your patients.
Multiple sclerosis by the numbers
Statistics from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
1M+
Number of people in the United States living with multiple sclerosis
3x
Women are three times more likely than men to have multiple sclerosis
20-50
Age of people most likely to be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease that affects approximately 1 million people in the U.S. Since symptoms vary widely among patients and may overlap with other neurological conditions, providers rely on rule-out testing before arriving at a diagnosis, causing challenges in early evaluation.
Labcorp’s comprehensive MS portfolio gives you the insights needed to rule out other conditions, while providing diagnostic, prognostic and monitoring solutions that can improve health and outcomes for MS patients.
Diagnosing MS through blood-based testing
There is no single test to diagnose MS, so having a trusted laboratory partner that provides supportive testing is essential. Labcorp offers a comprehensive portfolio of testing options that help to streamline ordering and lessen the patient burden.
MS patient management and monitoring
Understanding a patient’s MS journey is crucial to personalizing care and identifying the right treatment. New blood biomarkers—neurofilament light chain (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)—provide valuable insight into disease activity and progression between MRIs, minimizing patient burden and helping you evaluate and monitor MS with greater clarity.
As the only national reference lab to offer NfL and GFAP testing, Labcorp is proud to offer a suite of blood-based biomarker tests for MS that empower you to make informed treatment decisions tailored to each patient's specific disease stage.
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
| Number | Name |
|---|---|
| 505510 | Natalizumab and Anti-Natalizumab Antibody, DoseASSURE™ NTZ |
| 144441 | Pre-Biologic Screening Profile |
Disease Monitoring
| Number | Name |
|---|---|
| 140455 | Neurofilament Light Chain, Serum |
| 484430 | Glial Fibrillary Acid Protein (GFAP), Serum |
| 809630 | Flunitrazepam Confirmation, Whole Blood |
Labcorp also offers Stratify JCV™ Ab w/Index (819372) as a send-out test.
Clinical utility of biomarkers in MS
Though NfL has proven to be an effective marker to gauge therapeutic response in active disease—and has now been included in the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers guidelines for this use, among others1—GFAP has demonstrated stronger prediction of disease progression, irrespective of relapse activity.2,3 Additionally, serial GFAP measurements can be a marker of disease severity.3,4 Together, NfL and GFAP are new ways of helping physicians evaluate and monitor MS patients with simple blood draws that not only complement MRI, but may also reduce the needed frequency of MRI.
Related and rule-out testing
A critical part of MS diagnosis is ruling out other medical conditions that may cause similar symptoms. In addition to MS blood tests that help in early identification, Labcorp also offers the full spectrum of tests needed to rule out these other conditions.
Autoimmune
Genetic Risk
| Number | Name |
|---|---|
| 167389 | HLA B*51 Disease Association |
| 620098 | Mitochondrial DNA Deletion Analysis |
Infectious Agents
Other
| Number | Name |
|---|---|
| 004259 | Thyroid-stimulating Hormone (TSH) |
| 330015 | Thyroid Cascade Profile |
| 001503 | Vitamin B12 |
Gaining clarity with cutting-edge diagnostics
As new therapies emerge for MS treatment and management, having the right lab partner is essential to improving patient outcomes. We are committed to helping you transform MS care, which is why we continue to expand our MS portfolio to equip you with the latest diagnostic tools and emerging biomarkers.
When you need guidance on vague symptoms and disease progression for MS, our extensive testing options provide clear answers. Contact us to learn more about our MS portfolio or explore our offerings for other neurological and autoimmune disorders.
Labcorp can help meet your needs for MS testing
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References
- Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers Neurofilament Consensus Panel. CMSC best practices for the use of serum neurofilament (sNFL) in MS Management.” January 10, 2024. https://www.mscare.org/page/NFL
- Meier S, Willemse EA, Schaedelin S, et al. Serum glial fibrillary acidic protein compared with neurofilament light chain as a biomarker for disease progression in multiple sclerosis. JAMA Neurol. 2023;80(3):287-297. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2022.5250
- Abdelhak A, Hottenrott T, Morenas-Rodríguez E et al. Glial activation markers in CSF and serum from patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis: potential of serum GFAP as disease severity marker? Front Neurol. 2019;10:280. doi:10.3389/fneur.2019.00280
- Abdelhak A, Huss A, Kassubek J, Tumani H, Otto M. Serum GFAP as a biomarker for disease severity in multiple sclerosis. Sci Rep. 2018;8(1):14798. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-33158-8