CLIPPERS Progress Assessment

Just back from 2 days as a guest of the Day Care Unit at the NHNN, at Queen Square. This for reassessment, progress reports and a decision about future treatment options. The background is that I am now in the last week of my decreasing steroid taper but there is growing evidence that CLIPPERS is a chronic condition which must be carefully managed with continued drug treatment to prevent relapse.

Autumnal Queen Square

Once More Unto the Breach, Dear Friends

Six months ago I first got symptoms of what I now know is probably CLIPPERS. This week it's time for two days of reassessment, fortunately as an out-patient this time. This also coincides with the last few days of my reducing steroid course which so far has done it's job and kept CLIPPERS at bay.  So with the benefit of hindsight, time for a brief recap of the last few months.

You Oligoclonal What?

One thing related to diagnosis which was mentioned to me in hospital a couple of times was oligoclonal bands. I'd never heard of these, had no idea what they were and didn't even know if having them was a good thing or a bad thing. Since reading some CLIPPERS papers I noticed they always comment about oligoclonal bands so they must be important; I've also seen them often mentioned in connection with Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis. So in case you were wondering ...

A Curious Case of CLIPPERS?

One of the problems with diagnosing CLIPPERS is that there isn't a definitive test. So a case for CLIPPERS has to be constructed from the available evidence and by excluding other conditions. The definition of CLIPPERS is still somewhat vague with some open questions about whether cases which don't fit the established pattern are CLIPPERS, or some other unrecognised condition, or a combination. A case recently reported as CLIPPERS by Guillaume Taieb and colleagues demonstrates these problems.