Relapsing multiple sclerosis patients treated with disease modifying therapy exhibit highly variable disease progression: A predictive model

2014 ◽  
Vol 127 ◽  
pp. 86-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas F. Scott ◽  
Christopher T. Hackett ◽  
Matthew R. Quigley ◽  
Carol J. Schramke
2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 942-950 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle Smoot ◽  
Kateri J Spinelli ◽  
Tamela Stuchiner ◽  
Lindsay Lucas ◽  
Chiayi Chen ◽  
...  

Background: Following approval of dimethyl fumarate (DMF), we established a registry of relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) patients taking DMF at our community MS center. Objective: To track DMF patients’ tolerability, disease progression, and lymphopenia. Methods: Patients prescribed DMF for RMS from March 2013 to March 2016 were prospectively enrolled ( N = 412). Baseline data, clinical relapses, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) activity, discontinuation, and lymphocyte counts were captured through chart review. Results: The mean age of patients starting DMF was 49.4 ± 12.0 years and 70% transitioned from a previous disease-modifying therapy (DMT). Of the patients, 38% discontinued DMF, 76% of whom discontinued due to side effects. Clinical relapse and MRI activity were low. Comparing patients who transitioned from interferon-β (IFN), glatiramer acetate (GA), or natalizumab (NTZ), patients previously on NTZ had higher rates of relapse than those previously on GA (annualized relapse rate p = 0.039, percent relapse p = 0.021). Grade III lymphopenia developed in 11% of patients. Lymphopenia was associated with older age ( p < 0.001) and longer disease duration ( p < 0.001). Conclusion: Given the high rates of lymphopenia and discontinuation, it has become our clinical practice to more closely scrutinize older patients and those with a longer disease duration who are potential candidates for initiating DMF therapy.


2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 1286-1294 ◽  
Author(s):  
PJ Veugelers ◽  
JD Fisk ◽  
MG Brown ◽  
K. Stadnyk ◽  
IS Sketris ◽  
...  

Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy of disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) in persons with relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) and secondary progressive MS with superimposed relapses. However, these brief studies of selected patients have focused mainly on reducing attacks and must be complemented by evaluations in ‘realworld’ clinical settings to establish the effectiveness of DMD programs in slowing disease progression and to inform health policy and program decision-making. We assessed the effectiveness of DMDs as administered in a comprehensive publicly funded drug insurance program that provides DMDs to a geographically defined population of MS patients who meet specific eligibility criteria. Data from 1752 MS patients (10,312 assessments) seen between 1980 and 2004 at a regional MS Clinic serving the entire population of Nova Scotia, Canada were analysed. Using survival methods we observed a statistically significant reduction in disease progression to specific Expanded Disability Status Scale endpoints following the introduction of this program. Subgroup analyses of patients eligible for treatment using hierarchical linear regression methods also suggested that disease progression was slowed in patients treated with the first DMD prescribed. These findings provide evidence supporting DMD program effectiveness that can be used to inform the broader implementation of such programs.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 205521731769611 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Nicholas ◽  
JJ Ko ◽  
Y Park ◽  
P Navaratnam ◽  
HS Friedman ◽  
...  

Background Availability of oral disease-modifying therapy (DMT) for relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) may affect injectable DMT (iDMT) treatment patterns. Objective The objective of this paper is to evaluate iDMT persistency, reasons for persistency lapses, and outcomes among newly diagnosed RRMS patients. Methods Medical records of 300 RRMS patients initiated on iDMT between 2008 and 2013 were abstracted from 18 US-based neurology clinics. Eligible patients had ≥3 visits: pre-iDMT initiation, iDMT initiation (index), and ≥1 visit within 24 months post-index. MS-related symptoms, relapses, iDMT treatment patterns (i.e. persistency, discontinuation, switching, and restart), and reasons for non-persistency were tracked for 24 months. Results At 24 months, iDMT persistency was 61.0%; 28.0% of patients switched to another DMT, 8.0% discontinued, and 3.0% stopped and restarted the same iDMT. The most commonly identified reasons for non-persistency were perceived lack of efficacy (22.2%), adverse events (18.8%), and fear of needles/self-injecting (9.4%). At 24 months, 38.0% of patients had experienced a relapse and 11.0% had changes in MRI lesion counts. Patients without MS-related symptoms at index reported increases in the incidence of these symptoms at 24 months. Conclusions Non-persistency with iDMT remains an issue in the oral DMT age. Many patients still experienced relapses and disease progression, and should consider switching to more effective therapies.


Author(s):  
Farhan Chaudhry ◽  
Helena Bulka ◽  
Anirudha S. Rathnam ◽  
Omar M Said ◽  
Jia Lin ◽  
...  

AbstractImportanceMultiple sclerosis patients have been considered a higher-risk population for COVID-19 due to the high prevalence of disability and disease-modifying therapy use; however, no study has identified clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes.ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis, including staging, degree of disability, and disease-modifying therapy use that are associated with worse outcomes from COVID-19.DesignProspective cohort study looking at the outcomes of multiple sclerosis patients with COVID-19 between March 1st and May 18th 2020.SettingThis is a multicenter study of three distinct hospital systems within the U.S.ParticipantsThe study included 40 consecutive patients with nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infection.ExposuresMultiple sclerosis staging, severe disability (based on baseline-extended disability status scale equal to or greater than 6.0) and disease-modifying therapy.Main Outcomes and MeasureSeverity of COVID-19 infection was based on hospital course, where a mild course was defined as the patient not requiring hospital admission, moderate severity was defined as the patient requiring hospital admission to the general floor only, and most severe was defined as requiring intensive care unit admission and/or death.ResultsFor the 40 patients, the median age was 52(45.5-61) years, 16/40(40%) were male, and 21/40(52.5%) were African American. 19/40(47.5%) had mild courses, 15/40(37.5%) had moderate courses, and 6/40(15%) had severe courses. Patients with moderate and severe courses were significantly older than those with a mild course (57[50-63] years old and 66[58.8-69.5] years old vs 48[40-51.5] years old, P=0.0121, P=0.0373). There was differing prevalence of progressive multiple sclerosis staging in those with more severe courses (severe:2/6[33.3%]primary-progressing and 0/6[0%]secondary-progressing, moderate:1/14[7.14%] and 5/14[35.7%] vs mild:0/19[0%] and 1/19[5.26%], P=0.0075, 1 unknown). Significant disability was found in 1/19(5.26%) mild course-patients, but was in 9/15(60%, P=0.00435) of moderate course-patients and 2/6(33.3%, P=0.200) of severe course-patients. Disease-modifying therapy prevalence did not differ among courses (mild:17/19[89.5%], moderate:12/15[80%] and severe:3/6[50%], P=0.123).Conclusions and RelevanceMultiple sclerosis patients with more severe COVID-19 courses tended to be older, were more likely to suffer from progressive staging, and had a higher degree of disability. However, disease-modifying therapy use was not different among courses.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Niedziela ◽  
Monika Adamczyk-Sowa ◽  
Jacek T. Niedziela ◽  
Bogdan Mazur ◽  
Ewa Kluczewska ◽  
...  

The role of nitric oxide and its reactive derivatives (NOx) is well known in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis, which is an inflammatory disease whileNOxseems to be important in coordinating inflammatory response. The purpose of the present study was to assess serumNOxas one of the nitrogen species and inflammatory parameters in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients and to compare the effectiveness of various types of disease-modifying therapies that reduce nitric oxide and inflammatory biomarkers. ElevatedNOxlevel was observed in patients who received the first-line disease-modifying therapy (interferons beta-1a and beta-1b) in comparison with the subjects treated with the second-line disease-modifying therapy (natalizumab; fingolimod) and healthy controls without significant differences in C-reactive protein and interleukin-1 beta. A negative correlation was observed between serumNOxlevel and the duration of multiple sclerosis confirmed in the whole study population and in subjects treated with the first-line agents. Only serumNOx, concentration could reveal a potential efficacy of disease-modifying therapy with a better reduction inNOxlevel due to the second-line agents of disease-modifying therapy.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document