John F. Kurtzke

John Francis Kurtzke (September 14, 1926 – December 1, 2015) was a neuroepidemiologist and Professor of Neurology at Georgetown University who is best known for his creation of the Expanded Disability Status Scale and for his research on multiple sclerosis (MS).[1] After graduating from Cornell University Medical College in 1952, Dr. Kurtzke started his career in the field of Neurology as Chief of the Neurology Service at the Veteran’s Affairs (VA) Medical Centers in Coatesville, PA, from 1956 to 1963, and then in Washington, DC, from 1963 to 1995, where he became Professor of Neurology at Georgetown University. At the time of his death, he held the title of Professor Emeritus at Georgetown University.

Kurtzke disability status scale KDSS
Kurtzke 1983 map of Multiple sclerosis in the USA
Kurtzke 1983 map of Multiple sclerosis in the world
Kurtzke_map_of_MS_in_Scandinavia
Kurtzke map of Faroe Islands MS cases
John Kurtzke
Born
John Francis Kurtzke

September 14, 1926
Brooklyn, New York City, New York
DiedDecember 1, 2015(2015-12-01) (aged 89)
Falls Church, Virginia
Alma materWeill Cornell Medical College
Known forExpanded Disability Status Scale
Awards1999 Charcot Award, 1997 Dystel Prize
Scientific career
FieldsNeurology, Neuroepidemiology
InstitutionsGeorgetown University
Notes

Most of his work dealt with multiple sclerosis (MS). In particular, Dr Kurtzke is widely known for his Expanded Disability Status Scale or EDSS (a method of quantifying disability in multiple sclerosis)[2] and for his pioneering work in the field of neuroepidemiology, a branch of epidemiology he helped to establish in 1967 with Dr. Len Kurland and Dr. Milton Alter.[3]

He was a leading world expert on geographical patterns of prevalence of multiple sclerosis.[4][5][6] Kurtzke's results have played a major role in promoting the study of the viral component of MS susceptibility.[7]

The author of more than 200 peer-reviewed articles,[8][9][10] he has received several awards including the 1999 Charcot Award by the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation[11] and the 1997 Dystel prize for MS research awarded by the American Academy of Neurology.[12]

In 2009, the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) and the American Academy of Neurology Foundation (AANF) have created the John F. Kurtzke, MD, FAAN, Clinician-Scientist Development Three-Year Award, a jointly-sponsored fellowship in multiple sclerosis research, "to honor the contributions of Dr. Kurtzke and inspire new MS healthcare professionals to follow in his path."[13]

Like Klaus Lauer,[14] J. Kurtzke has dedicated a large part of his work to the study of MS in the Faroe Islands, with extensive studies dealing with the British occupation of the islands.,[15][16][17][18][19] starting what the New York Times called the MS "medical detective story".[20] He died on December 1, 2015.[21]

References
  1. "JOHN KURTZKE Obituary - Falls Church, VA - The Washington Post". The Washington Post. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  2. Kurtzke JF (November 1983). "Rating neurologic impairment in multiple sclerosis: an expanded disability status scale (EDSS)". Neurology. 33 (11): 1444–52. doi:10.1212/WNL.33.11.1444. PMID 6685237.
  3. Kelley, Roger E.; Azizi, S. Ausim (September 2016). "Milton Alter, MD, PhD (1929–2016)". Neurology. 87 (10): 976–977. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000003074. S2CID 79255558.
  4. http://www.direct-ms.org/pdf/GeneralInfoMS/CompstonStory.pdf%5B%5D
  5. Kurtzke, John F. (1977). "Geography in multiple sclerosis". Journal of Neurology. 215 (1): 1–26. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.411.475. doi:10.1007/BF00312546. PMID 67196. S2CID 19914730.
  6. Kurtzke, John F. (1977). "Multiple sclerosis from an epidemiological viewpoint". In Field, E.J. (ed.). Multiple Sclerosis: A Critical Conspectus. pp. 83–142. doi:10.1007/978-94-010-9534-1_4. ISBN 978-94-010-9536-5.
  7. Owens GP, Bennett JL (2012). "Trigger, pathogen, or bystander: the complex nexus linking Epstein- Barr virus and multiple sclerosis". Mult. Scler. 18 (9): 1204–8. doi:10.1177/1352458512448109. PMC 5135482. PMID 22685062.
  8. Kurtzke, John F. (2006). "An epidemiologic view of the etiology of multiple sclerosis" (PDF). Archivos de Neurociencias. 11 (2): 90–99.
  9. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-02-26. Retrieved 2014-09-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2014-09-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. http://rm2-msif-live.torchboxapps.com/en/research/msif_research_awards/the_charcot.html%5B%5D%5B%5D
  12. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/ms-clinical-care-network/researchers/get-funding/john-dystel-prize/index.aspx%5B%5D
  13. http://www.cmscfoundation.org/news2/press-releases/46-press-releases/125-new-multiple-sclerosis-fellowship-created-in-the-name-of-pioneer-neuroepidemiologist-john-f-kurtzke-md-faan%5B%5D
  14. Lauer K (1988). "Multiple sclerosis in relation to industrial and commercial activities in the Faroe Islands". Neuroepidemiology. 7 (4): 228–33. doi:10.1159/000110155. PMID 3264057.
  15. Kurtzke JF, Hyllested K (January 1979). "Multiple sclerosis in the Faroe Islands: I. Clinical and epidemiological features". Annals of Neurology. 5 (1): 6–21. doi:10.1002/ana.410050104. PMID 371519. S2CID 8067353.
  16. Kurtzke JF, Hyllested K (1988). "Validity of the epidemics of multiple sclerosis in the Faroe Islands". Neuroepidemiology. 7 (4): 190–227. doi:10.1159/000110154. PMID 3264056.
  17. Kurtzke, J. F.; Hyllested, K.; Heltberg, A.; Olsen, Á. (September 1993). "Multiple sclerosis in the Faroe Islands. 5". Acta Neurologica Scandinavica. 88 (3): 161–173. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0404.1993.tb04211.x. PMID 8256551. S2CID 39114097.
  18. Kurtzke, John F.; Hyllested, Kay (1992). "Multiple Sclerosis in the Faroe Islands and the Lack of Protection by Exposure in Infancy". Neuroepidemiology. 11 (2): 90–99. doi:10.1159/000110917. PMID 1495579.
  19. Kurtzke, John F.; Hyllested, Kay (March 1986). "Multiple sclerosis in the Faroe Islands". Neurology. 36 (3): 307–328. doi:10.1212/WNL.36.3.307. PMID 3951697. S2CID 24993626.
  20. Brody, Jane E. (22 June 1982). "MS: A Medical Detective Story". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  21. "National MS Society Mourns the Passing of Dr. John Kurtzke". National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
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