Editorial - Volume 20, Issue 1 - January 2018

The New Year is an opportunity for celebration, and for reflecting on the future, with all of the uncertainties that it may entail, particularly in the health care community. With this issue, IJMSC celebrates the beginning of its 20th year of publication. This is a significant landmark for a scholarly journal addressing such a subspecialized topic as the comprehensive care of multiple sclerosis (MS). Thanks to ongoing support from the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) leadership, and from our authors, reviewers, and readers, the journal has grown and matured while staying true to its mission: to publish original articles covering various clinical aspects of MS, particularly those relevant to the multidisciplinary management of the disease and its consequences. As the field of MS care has undergone a staggering evolution, basic concerns regarding the care of people affected by MS and their loved ones have remained largely unchanged. We look forward to continuing our contribution to the collective body of knowledge, as illustrated by the variety of topics addressed by the articles in this first issue of 2018.

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are increasingly important in monitoring the impact of MS and its treatments, yet few MS-specific PROs are translated via a rigorous process into a variety of languages, limiting their use around the world. Sejbæk and colleagues, in this issue's continuing education article, report on the validation of a Danish version of the Multiple Sclerosis Neuropsychological Screening Questionnaire, a self-report measure of perceived cognitive limitations.

“Big data” drawing from large clinical and research databases has a growing influence on health care. Bradford and colleagues describe challenges and motivators for developing an international rehabilitation data repository, which could help address some of the current limitations in MS rehabilitation research.

Several articles provide evidence that can be used to educate and empower our patients to preserve and enhance their well-being and general health, including the use of disease-modifying therapy during pregnancy (Sandberg-Wollheim and colleagues), the positive impact of mindfulness on pain interference (Senders and colleagues), and the association between higher sitting time and higher blood pressure readings (Hubbard and colleagues). The short report from Pakenham and colleagues illustrates how learning a new therapeutic technique (in this case, acceptance and commitment therapy) can benefit health care providers both professionally and personally.

Finally, access to MS specialists is vital to our patients and their loved ones, due to the increasing complexity of MS management. Halpern and colleagues express concern regarding the growing lack of neurologists specialized in MS in the United States, and propose strategies to address this problem.

I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the contribution of previous IJMSC editors in chief, Drs. Herndon and Stone, who have laid the foundation for the journal's continued success, and that of our very dedicated editorial staff. Please accept our team's best wishes for 2018.