scholarly journals Fingolimod for Multiple Sclerosis: Mechanism of Action, Clinical Outcomes, and Future Directions

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 492-497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Mehling ◽  
Ludwig Kappos ◽  
Tobias Derfuss
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcello De Angelis ◽  
Luigi Lavorgna ◽  
Antonio Carotenuto ◽  
Martina Petruzzo ◽  
Roberta Lanzillo ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Clinical trials in multiple sclerosis (MS) have leveraged the use of digital technology to overcome limitations in treatment and disease monitoring. OBJECTIVE To review the use of digital technology in concluded and ongoing MS clinical trials. METHODS In March 2020, we searched for “multiple sclerosis” and “trial” on pubmed.gov and clinicaltrials.gov using “app”, “digital”, “electronic”, “internet” and “mobile” as additional search words, separately. Overall, we included thirty-five studies. RESULTS Digital technology is part of clinical trial interventions to deliver psychotherapy and motor rehabilitation, with exergames, e-training, and robot-assisted exercises. Also, digital technology has become increasingly used to standardise previously existing outcome measures, with automatic acquisitions, reduced inconsistencies, and improved detection of symptoms. Some trials have been developing new patient-centred outcome measures for the detection of symptoms and of treatment side effects and adherence. CONCLUSIONS We will discuss how digital technology has been changing MS clinical trial design, and possible future directions for MS and neurology research.


Author(s):  
Ruihai Zhou ◽  
George A. Stouffer ◽  
Sidney C. Smith

Hypercholesterolemia is a well-established risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) has been labeled as “bad” cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) as “good” cholesterol. The prevailing hypothesis is that lowering blood cholesterol levels, especially LDL-C, reduces vascular deposition and retention of cholesterol or apolipoprotein B (apoB)-containing lipoproteins which are atherogenic. We review herein the clinical trial data on different pharmacological approaches to lowering blood cholesterol and propose that the mechanism of action of cholesterol lowering, as well as the amplitude of cholesterol reduction, are critically important in leading to improved clinical outcomes in ASCVD. The effects of bile acid sequestrants, fibrates, niacin, cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitors, apolipoprotein A-I and HDL mimetics, apoB regulators, acyl coenzyme A: cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) inhibitors, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, statins, and proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, among other strategies are reviewed. Clinical evidence supports that different classes of cholesterol lowering or lipoprotein regulating approaches yielded variable effects on ASCVD outcomes, especially in cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Statins are the most widely used cholesterol lowering agents and have the best proven cardiovascular event and survival benefits. Manipulating cholesterol levels by specific targeting of apoproteins or lipoproteins has not yielded clinical benefit. Understanding why lowering LDL-C by different approaches varies in clinical outcomes of ASCVD, especially in survival benefit, may shed further light on our evolving understanding of how cholesterol and its carrier lipoproteins are involved in ASCVD and aid in developing effective pharmacological strategies to improve the clinical outcomes of ASCVD.


Author(s):  
Javier Caballero-Villarraso ◽  
Jamil Sawas ◽  
Begoña M. Escribano ◽  
Francisco A. Martín-Hersog ◽  
Andrea Valverde-Martínez ◽  
...  

Life ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 267
Author(s):  
Gabriela Angelova ◽  
Tereza Skodova ◽  
Terezie Prokopiusova ◽  
Magdalena Markova ◽  
Natalia Hruskova ◽  
...  

Background: Only few studies have monitored the potential of physical activity training and physical therapy to modulate the reaction of the endocrine system. In this study, the effect of neuroproprioceptive facilitation and inhibition physical therapy on clinical outcomes and neuroactive steroids production in people with multiple sclerosis was evaluated. Moreover, we were interested in the factors that influence the treatment effect. Methods: In total, 44 patients with multiple sclerosis were randomly divided into two groups. Each group underwent a different kind of two months ambulatory therapy (Motor program activating therapy and Vojta’s reflex locomotion). During the following two months, participants were asked to continue the autotherapy. Primary (serum level of cortisol, cortisone, 7α-OH-DHEA, 7β-OH-DHEA, 7-oxo-DHEA, DHEA) and secondary (balance, cognition and patient-reported outcomes) outcomes were examined three times (pre, post, and washout assessments). Results: In both groups, there is a decreasing trend of 7-oxo-DHEA concentration in post-assessment and 7β-OH-DHEA in washout versus pre-assessment. A higher impact on neuroactive steroids is visible after Vojta’s reflex locomotion. As for clinical outcomes, the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test and Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale significantly improved between post-assessment and washout assessment. The improvement was similar for both treatments. Conclusions: Neuroproprioceptive facilitation and inhibition improved the clinical outcomes and led to non-significant changes in neuroactive steroids. Trial registration (NCT04379193).


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 343-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tjalf Ziemssen ◽  
Katja Thomas

Alemtuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), given as two annual courses on five consecutive days at baseline and on three consecutive days 12 months later. Here we provide an update on the long-term efficacy and safety of alemtuzumab in RRMS, including real-world experience, and advances in our understanding of its mechanism of action. Recent data from the phase II/III extension study have demonstrated that alemtuzumab reduces relapse rates, disability worsening, and the rate of brain volume loss over the long term, with many patients achieving no evidence of disease activity. In high proportions of patients, preexisting disability remained stable or improved. Alemtuzumab is associated with a consistent safety profile over the long term, with no new safety signals emerging and the overall annual incidence of reported adverse events decreasing after the first year on treatment. Acyclovir prophylaxis reduces herpetic infections, and monitoring has been shown to mitigate the risk of autoimmune adverse events, allowing early detection and overall effective management. Data from clinical practice and ongoing observational studies are providing additional information on the real-world use of alemtuzumab. Recent evidence on the mechanism of action of alemtuzumab indicates that in addition to its previously known effects of inducing depletion and repopulation of T and B lymphocytes, it also results in a relative increase of cells with memory and regulatory phenotypes and a decrease in cells with a proinflammatory signature, and may further promote an immunoregulatory environment through an impact on other innate immune cells (e.g. dendritic cells) that play a role in MS. These effects may allow preservation of innate immunity and immunosurveillance. Together, these lines of evidence help explain the durable clinical efficacy of alemtuzumab, in the absence of continuous treatment, in patients with RRMS.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 335
Author(s):  
María José Zarzuelo Romero ◽  
Cristina Pérez Ramírez ◽  
María Isabel Carrasco Campos ◽  
Almudena Sánchez Martín ◽  
Miguel Ángel Calleja Hernández ◽  
...  

The introduction of new therapies for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) is a very recent phenomenon and little is known of their mechanism of action. Moreover, the response is subject to interindividual variability and may be affected by genetic factors, such as polymorphisms in the genes implicated in the pathologic environment, pharmacodynamics, and metabolism of the disease or in the mechanism of action of the medications, influencing the effectiveness of these therapies. This review evaluates the impact of pharmacogenetics on the response to treatment with new therapies in patients diagnosed with MS. The results suggest that polymorphisms detected in the GSTP1, ITGA4, NQO1, AKT1, and GP6 genes, for treatment with natalizumab, ZMIZ1, for fingolimod and dimethyl fumarate, ADA, for cladribine, and NOX3, for dimethyl fumarate, may be used in the future as predictive markers of treatment response to new therapies in MS patients. However, there are few existing studies and their samples are small, making it difficult to generalize the role of these genes in treatment with new therapies. Studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up are therefore needed to confirm the results of these studies.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. e0262093
Author(s):  
Mary K. Horton ◽  
Shannon McCurdy ◽  
Xiaorong Shao ◽  
Kalliope Bellesis ◽  
Terrence Chinn ◽  
...  

Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to numerous health conditions but understudied in multiple sclerosis (MS). This study’s objective was to test for the association between ACEs and MS risk and several clinical outcomes. Methods We used a sample of adult, non-Hispanic MS cases (n = 1422) and controls (n = 1185) from Northern California. Eighteen ACEs were assessed including parent divorce, parent death, and abuse. Outcomes included MS risk, age of MS onset, Multiple Sclerosis Severity Scale score, and use of a walking aid. Logistic and linear regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) (and beta coefficients) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for ACEs operationalized as any/none, counts, individual events, and latent factors/patterns. Results Overall, more MS cases experienced ≥1 ACE compared to controls (54.5% and 53.8%, respectively). After adjusting for sex, birthyear, and race, this small difference was attenuated (OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.87, 1.18). There were no trends of increasing or decreasing odds of MS across ACE count categories. Consistent associations between individual ACEs between ages 0–10 and 11–20 years and MS risk were not detected. Factor analysis identified five latent ACE factors, but their associations with MS risk were approximately null. Age of MS onset and other clinical outcomes were not associated with ACEs after multiple testing correction. Conclusion Despite rich data and multiple approaches to operationalizing ACEs, no consistent and statistically significant effects were observed between ACEs with MS. This highlights the challenges of studying sensitive, retrospective events among adults that occurred decades before data collection.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document